When Worlds Collide: Thanatos Saga
by Bushidoman
Summary: After the Battle of Fake Karakura Town, Aizen and his remaining follows retreated back to Hueco Mundo. Ichigo, his friends and allies, have survived the battle and return to a normal life. However, a new force comes that changes everything... 1st of 5.
1. Fresh Start: A New Task At Hand

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: The events take place at the end of the Fake Karakura Arc. The Gotei 13 and Vizards succeed in defeating the top 3 Espada, but failed to capture the tratorious Aizen and his cohorts, Tousen and Gin. In Hueco Mundo, Yammy retreats as he begins to get overwhelmed by Ichigo, his friends, and the four other captains. Urahara succeeds in opening the Gargantas into Hueco Mundo to retrieve the trapped heroes. The Vizards disappear in the commotion, returning to their hideout to avoid a possible fight against some of the Captains. Yamamoto then declares all the Gotei 13 to return to Soul Society to plan out for the coming Winter War…

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"GOOD MORNING, ICHIGO!" Almost on cue, Isshin Kurosaki attacks his son with a flying kick in order to wake him up for school. Prepared, Ichigo successfully counters his father's kick by catching it and throwing him into the wall. Losing conscious, Isshin says, "Nice…counter."

"Dammit, I'm not in the mood for this, Dad!" shouted Ichigo. Considering the exhausting fights, the repeated stabbing, slashing, and exploding against him, it makes more than enough sense not to piss off Ichigo at this point. Feeling rushed, Ichigo quickly got dressed, grabbed a quick breakfast, and immediately left for school without saying good-bye to his sisters. It seems he didn't want his attitude to rub off on his sisters.

-----Karakura High School-----

"ICHIGO!" screamed Keigo Asano, attempting to surprise Ichigo once more. Unfortunately, he clothesline'd himself into Ichigo's arm as he waved 'hi' back to Keigo.

"Jeez, just calm down, Keigo. You don't have to charge out like that every morning," Mizuiro Kojima, not too far behind Keigo. He simply said, "Good morning Ichigo," before entering the classroom.

Having calmed down a bit since his wake-up call, Ichigo simply replied by saying, "Hey Mizuiro." Reaching down, Ichigo started to drag Keigo by his leg, making sure he doesn't get to class late.

Inside the classroom, Ichigo spotted Uryu Ishida and Yasutora Sado (a.k.a. Chad) off in the corner. Ichigo simply waved to them and said, "Hey guys." Uryu replied with a "Good Morning," while Chad simply smiled and nodded. Looking around, Ichigo asked, "Hey, did you guys see Orihime yet?"

" I doubt it, since she's just arrived." Turning towards the sound of the voice, Ichigo saw his childhood friend, Tatsuki Arisawa, with Orihime Inoue close by. Orihime waved to Ichigo and his friends and shouted, "Hey Ichigo!" Ichigo himself smiled. It seemed Orhimie returned to her normal self, and pretty quickly, too.

In seconds, Orihime shrieked, revealing that the class lesbian, Chizuru Honsho, is groping her breasts as they speak. "Oh, Orihime, I've missed you so much. I've missed you just as much as I've missed squeezing onto your-"

"GET THE HELL OFF OF HER!" shouted Tatsuki, prompting her to kick Chizuru off of Orhimie. Like a cannonball, Chizuru sailed through the air before crashing into the wall of the classroom., leaving a small dent in the wall where she hit it. Slowly getting up, Chizuru soflty said, "As always, a strong kick…_maybe stronger_?"

"Jeez, will you give it a rest, Chizuru," stated Tatsuki, "Do you enjoy injuring yourself like this?" Tatsuki seemed to be more on-edge than usual. Since she looked after Orihime like a sister, along with Orihime's disappearance, it was as easy to explain her mood as well as Ichigo's.

Again, Ichigo smiled to himself, thinking, "_After everything that's happened, it's as if nothing has changed._" The school bell started to ring and soon school is in session.

-----Karakura High School, Rooftop-----

Its lunch hour in Karakura High School, with Ichigo, Chand, Uryu, and Orihime eating together up on the High School rooftop. Rather than just a casual conversation, the four of them started to go over what the hell is happening.

"So," Uryu said, "the Shinigami just leave us defenseless?"

Ichigo quickly stated, "No. They're not. I mean…they just wanted everyone together for a meeting back in the Soul Society, so I have no idea what's going on."

Uryu then stated, "So, the Gotei 13 are going to leave us in the dark while they plan? Don't they trust us?" Ichigo started to cringe on that thought, remembering how the Gotei 13 thought that Orihime turned traitor.

Orihime, less-than cheerful since this morning, said, "But, shouldn't it be over now? Aizen doesn't have an army anymore-"

"No," Uryu quickly said, "He can easily make another one with the Hogyoku, and maybe an even stronger Espada. We can't forget about that." All four of them nodded in agreement. If the Espada they faced only had a few Vastro Lorde Arrancar, then an entire Espada full or Vastro Lorde Arrancar would be real trouble.

Chad spoke up with, "Well, they may not be taking any chances the next time around."

Ichigo agreed, "Yea, but we still don't know what they're planning."

"Don't worry. I'll tell you once it's all taken care of," said a familiar voice. Turning a towards the sound of the voice, Ichigo and his friends are surprised to seem a good friend: Rukia Kuchiki, in her Gigai and school clothes.

Confused a bit, Ichigo said, "But I thought you were supposed to return to the Soul Society, like Renji and Byakuya?"

Rukia replied, "Yes, but they assigned me this mission as a messenger for everyone here."

Uryu then asked, "Then, do you know what's going on, Rukia?"

Rukia shook her head, saying, "Not immediately, but they'll inform me with a hell butterfly to give you the details."

Orihime then asked, "Details? For what?"

Rukia sat down next to Orihime and explained, "Captain Yamamoto begun an emergency Captain and Lieutenant meeting today. Though I'm not sure what the full details are, but it may involve the people who helped us against Aizen."

Ichigo was surprised for a moment, and then asked, "You mean, the Vizards right?"

Nodding, Rukia stated, "Not just that, but something that could change the Gotei 13 forever."

-----Soul Society, Seireitei, First Division HQ-----

In the great HQ of the First Division, Captain Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto stands before the remaining captains from the other divisions: Captains Soi Fon, Retsu Unohana, Byakuya Kuchiki, Sajin Komamura, Shunsui Kyoraku, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Kenpachi Zaraki, Mayuri Kurosachi, and Jushiro Ukitake.

Looking over to Jushiro, Shunsui said, "You alright? You shouldn't be attending this meeting after what you've been through."

Jushiro nodded and chuckled a bit, saying, "Its alright. Orihime did a nice job of healing my wounds, and Retsu gave me the O.K. to attend."

Mayuri, impatient with all the waiting, said, "Enough of this procrastination. There are important things to take care of."

Oddly enough, Kenpahci agreed, "Yea, force once Mayuri has the right idea. Why start the meeting today instead of yesterday, Old Man?"

"Because," Yamamoto stated bluntly, "Our bodies and minds are still recovering over the events from these last several days. In all rights, we should have lost against Aizen yesterday."

Insulted, Soi Fon shouted, "Nonsense! We had the entire fight under control."

Yamamoto retorted with, "No, we did not. Our forces were split in half, our defenses crumbled and if not for the arrival of the Vizards, Aizen would've won the day. We cannot leave ourselves in such dissaray. That is why I propose an alliance with the Vizards for the coming Winter War!" Almost all the faces in the room when up with that statement, while few remained unaffected by it.

Sajin then stated, "Captain, as you know, I fought alongside them in battle and have seen their strength up close. Their only wish is to see Aizen pay for his crimes. That goal alone is enough for us to join forces."

"Have you lost your mind, Sajin," Soi Fon shouted. "Why should we trust these monsters to join us when they betrayed Soul Society years ago?"

Sajin firmly stated, " Cause **this** monster knows how it feels to be an outcast. They at least have each other. And besides, you have seen their willingness to work with us. We cannot deny this opportunity."

Toshiro spoke up with, "I agree with Captain Komamura. They may be the edge we need to stop Aizen once and for all."

Shunsui nodded, "Seconded."

Jushiro nodded, "Thirded."

Kenpachi shrugged his shoulders and said, "Why the hell not? If I'm lucky, maybe I'll get a chance to fight them up close and personal. I'm in."

Grinning, Mayuri said, "Their unique abilities should prove useful to us in the coming war…_and if one happens to die…_"

Retsu simply smiled and agreed. Byakuya simply nodded in agreement.

Soi Fon, finally had enough of this, huffed a bit and said, "Fine."

Yamamoto then stated, "It is unanimous. We will attempt negotiations with the Vizard as quickly as possible. Now, on to the next order of business. As you know, we are short-handed with Captains due to Aizen's betrayal."

Worried, Toshiro asked, "Are you saying-"

"Yes, Captain Hitsugaya. It is time for the election of the newest Captains."


	2. New Plans?: A Force from the Shadows

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: Second chapter in and a new character will be introduced…sort of

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-----Soul Society, Seireitei, First Division HQ-----

Most of the captains looked surprised at this command from Captain Commander Yamamoto. Others, like Byakuya and Shunsui, remained calm and conversed. Either they knew of the order ahead of time or it posed little concern to them. Regardless, some of the other captains wanted to debate that command. Toshiro asked, "But, Commander Yamamoto, it is supposed to take several years for someone to achieve that kind of spiritual power, including the ability to perform Bankai."

Kenpachi looked down at Toshiro, saying, "Well, I killed the last captain to get my spot, and I don't even need to use your stupid Bankai." Kenpachi chuckled a bit to himself, wondering if having Bankai was even necessary.

Yamamoto ignored Kenpachi's remark, focusing back on the matter at hand. "True, Captian Hitsugaya, but it is a necessary step. During the Battle of Karakura Town, our forces were split in half thanks to Aizen's deception. We must be ready at full strength so that we will win the Winter War."

Sajin quickly asked, "But Commander, how are we supposed to find able candidates to fill those positions?"

"That is not the main problem," stated Mayuri. All the captains turned towards him, guessing that Mayuri has a plan in waiting. Mayuri then explained, "Before we left Karakura Town yesterday, I was meeting with an old acquaintance…"

-----Flashback: Karakura Town-----

In front of the shack known as Urahara Shop, Mayrui Kurosachi, along with his Lieutenant Nemu, met with Kitsuke Urahara, the former 12th Captain and founder of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. In a casual manner, Urahara said, "Well, it seems you haven't changed much in the last hundred years. Still experiment as usual?"

Somewhat annoyed, Mayuri stated, "Get to the point, Urahara. You said you wanted me to examine something. Well, where is it?"

"Oh, that. Alright, give me a second." Urahara whistled for Tessai Tsukabashi, former captain of the Kido Corp and great friend to Urahara, to bring out a white, human-sized doll. It was completely featureless and quite thin for its size. "Well, what do you think?"

Curious, Mayuri asked the question, "What is this…thing?"

Urahara answered, "Wouldn't you rather find out for yourself?"

-----Present Day: 1st Division HQ-----

Mayuri continued with, "It took me only a few minutes to discover its special purpose. It allows a Shinigami to bypass the standard Bankai training for a incredibly shorter route. By thrusting the sword into the dummy, the spirit of the Zanpakuto manifests itself, presenting a unique challenge to its wielder. If they complete the challenge in the allotted time, they will be able to perform Bankai as easily as any other Captain…Kenpachi excluded."

Kenpachi gave an annoyed chuckle to Mayuri. "_Freaky Bastard._"

Mayuri ignored Kenpachi and continued with, "If the wielder fails to complete the challenge, the punishment is quite…fatal."

Shunsui then remarked, "In other words, complete the challenge or you die. Kinda harsh, if you ask me."

Toshiro spoke up again with, "That's too dangerous. I will not see Shinigami sacrificed for a small chance to become Captian. We need to pick from the roster that can become Captain. What about Renji Abarai?"

Byakuya, finally speaking up in the entire meeting, stated, "While he possess the natural determination and power of a Captain, he lacks the ability to lead and plan accordingly. In short, he makes a better soldier than a tactician."

Yamamoto then stated, "But we will not waste the entire Gotei 13 for this task. We will limit the number of applicants based on their abilities, intelligence, and experience as a leader. Captain Ukitake, Captain Kyoraku, Captain Unohana: I leave it to you three to decide on the appropriate candidates to become Captains."

All three captains nodded in unison, but Ukitake then remembered, "Wait, does this mean I should find a new lieutenant as well?"

"That is your decision, Jushiro." Turning to the rest of the captains, Yamamoto asked, "Is there any other questions?"

Shunsui replied, "Yea. Shouldn't we have Urahara help us with the Captian Trials?"

Soi Fon, slightly embarrassed, answered Shunsui's question. "Well…I made a deal with one of the Vizard and…" Soi Fon smiled a bit as she said; "Urahara will be busy for the next month."

-----Karakura Town, Urahara Shop-----

After school ended, Ichigo and his friends thought it would be for the best to talk with Urahara about the upcoming Winter War. Unfortunately, they were blocked out from entering by a large barrier. Standing confused, Chad spoke up with, "Why does Urahara have a barrier up. Is he performing some kind of experiment?"

Uryu shook his head, stating, "No, and if he did, I doubt he'd need a barrier around his own shop."

Ichigo continued to stare at the barrier wall, feeling a vague sense of familiarity with it. "_This barrier…is it the Vizard's doing?_"

Orihime spoke up with, "Hachigen." Everyone turned to her, leaving Orihime embarrassed by her own statement. "Oh…heh,heh…sorry. Its just…I recognized the barrier. It think I know who did it?"

"Who?" asked Rukia.

"Hachigen Ushoda. One of the Vizards," answered Ichigo. "He's a former Kido Corps member. He designed the barrier that keeps the other Vizards hidden as well."

Uryu then pondered, "So, why did he put a barrier around Urahara's house?"

Ichigo simple shrugged and said, "Beats me. They're supposed to be on good terms with Urahara. Hey Rukia, what about-" Ichigo stopped as he saw Rukia was preoccupied. On the tip of her fingers was a Hell Butterfly, reporting to Rukia from Soul Society. "Uh…Rukia?"

Snapping back into reality, Rukia said, "Its from Soul Society. They're starting to look for new captains to fill the positions in the 3rd, 5th, and 9th divisions." Everyone took to this with great surprise, mostly cause they thought the positions would already be filled.

Uryu spoke first with, "All this time and you still haven't replaced them? How can you be so ignorant with that?"

Rukia retorted with, "We didn't have the time. Aizen struck too early for us to start finding new captains. At least now we can reinforce the command structure of the Gotei 13."

"Uryu, calm down," said Chad. Uryu just looked back at Chad, understanding the point Rukia was trying to get across.

"Anyway," said Rukia, " We won't know who will be the next captains, but we already have some of the senior captains looking through some possibilities."

Uryu, slightly disgruntled due to the recent knowledge, said, "Fine. Lets continue this tomorrow."

-----Few Hours Later: Kurosaki Residence-----

It was already night. The Kurosaki family finished dinner and are preparing for bed. Ichigo and Rukia were just relazing in Ichigo's room, much to Ichigio's chagrin. Ichigo relazed on his bed while Rukia stayed in his closet. "I **still **can't understand how you can just live in my closet, let alone my house."

Rukia confidently said, "Well, unlike you, they actually show some hospitality to their guests." Ichigo huffed a bit, trying to ignore the comment and sleep.

"Hey Ichigo, do you think they'll pick Renji to be a captain?"

"Na. He loves fighting too much. I doubt they'll even consider him." As he tried to fall asleep, Ichigo felt a spike in spirit energy far away. Turning to Rukia, he asked, "Did you-"

"Yea," answered Rukia. "There are at least 3 of them. Come on." Rukia popped a soul candy into her mouth while Ichigo used his soul badge to become Shinigami. Rukia then asked, "Why didn't you use Kon? Come to think of it, where is he?"

Ichigo replied, "I last saw him in Urahara's Shop. In all honesty, no real loss."

-----5 minutes later-----

Up several blocks, a small group of Hollows just arrived in Karakura Town. Two of them (resembling a snake/rhino hybrid and gorilla respectively) began searching for spirit energy to feed on while the third (spider body with a monkey face) roared into the night. In short time, Ichigo and Rukia both arrived on the scene. Ichigo casually unsheathed Zangetsu from its bandages, saying, "This shouldn't last long. I actually have school to attend tomorrow. " Ichigo charged towards the Spider Hollow, jumping up into the air and slashing downward against the Hollow's mask. After a few seconds, the Hollow literally splits in half, and then disappears in a wave of spirit particles.

The other two Hollows took notice to this and soon began their offensive. The Gorilla Hollow attempted to slam one of its hands onto Rukia, but she Flash-stepped to her right, dodging the blow entirely. She then rushed towards the Hollow's body, and then jumped up into the air like Ichigo. She then stabbed her Zanpakuto through the Hollow's body, keeping herself from falling to the ground. Aiming a free hand towards the Hollow's head, she chanted, "Hado 31. Shakkaho!" A bright flash of light engulfed the bottom half of the Hollow's face, blowing it apart instantly. The Hollow stoon collapsed from the attack, with Rukia quickly pulling her Zanpakuto out of the Hollow and avoid being crushed.

The remaining Hollow saw how the odds turned against it and started to flee. Ichigo told Rukia, "I'll take it." Rukia nodded okay as Ichigo gave chase. The Hollow was moving with all its might, while Ichigo was casually running behind it. He didn't seem to mind, thinking the Hollow would finally reach a dead end. Sure enough, the Hollow stopped at a three-way intersection, deciding on whether to take the left or right route. Ichigo stopped as well, saying, "Finally." The Hollow turned to Ichigo and roared in his face, attempting to scare the Shinigami off. Before Ichigo made his move, a bright red flash of light came out from the right side, engulfing the Hollow. Ichigo averted his eyes from the light, thinking, "_What the…is that a cero?_" Soon the flash stopped and the Hollow started to dissipate. Ignoring the dying Hollow, Ichigo went around the right corner to try and find out what cause that blast. Looking down the road, he spotted a dark, human figure dashing into an alleyway. Before disappearing, the figure looked straight towards Ichigo, revealing a thin red beam where the eyes should be. "Hey!" shouted Ichigo as he ran towards the figure. He ran to where the figure originally was, but couldn't find where the figure ran off. Confused, Ichigo thought, "_Who the hell was that?"_


	3. New Faces: Who The Next Captain?

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: 2 new characters are introduced. Yay!

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-----The Next Day, Karakura High School-----

After what happened last night, Ichigo felt it was best to go over it all in the company of his friends. He explained to Orihime, Chad, and Uryu how he and Rukia went to kill of some more Hollows, only for a mysterious figure vaporized the last Hollow from afar. Now all that was left to do was speculate about the figure's identity. Uryu suggested, "I could've been an Arrancar. You said the blast was Cero."

Ichigo shook his head, restating, "No, _like_ a Cero. And I don't think it was an Arrancar. I didn't sense any kind of spiritual energy from it."

"Well," Uryu stated, "You were never good at sensing spiritual energy in the first place." Ichigo gave Uryu an angry stare for his comment.

Wanting to avoid a fight, Rukia said, "Anyway, whatever it was, it wasn't a Shinigami. I was given any details for back up arriving in Karakura Town. Whatever it is, I doubt we've seen the last of it."

Orihime then suggested, "Well, maybe it's friendly. You know, it didn't want to fight you, Ichigo."

Ichigo then retorted with, "Either that or it was afraid of me. Still, I think a stakeout is needed to find this thing and get some answers." Al his friends nodded with agreement. Ichigo continued with, "Alright lets do it tonight then. I want to get this over as quickly as possible."

Soon, the warning bell rang for classes starting soon. Everyone parted to start the new school day…

-----5 minutes later-----

Even in his classroom, Ichigo still kept thinking about last night. The figure kept sticking out of his mind, especially the only distinguishably feature on it: a thin, red bar across the face. Somewhat aggravated, Ichigo thought, "_Who are you?_"

Eventually, reality clocked in as Ichigo's teacher, Misato Ochi, called for all the students' attention. "Alright class, listen up. I have a very important announcement to make. For the next few days, we will have guest teachers from outside the country coming in as part of an international education program. So, I would like everyone to be on their best behavior when they arrive. Any questions?"

A random student raised their hand and asked, "So, what'll happen to you, Ms. Ochi?"

"Oh, I'll still be here, watching over the class. I'm only handing the role over to our guest teacher temporarily." Looking at her watch, Misato then said, "I think I've wasted enough time." Calling out towards the classroom door, she yelled, "Okay, Mr. Vidal, you can come in."

When the classroom door opened, the students got an interesting surprise yet. Their guest teacher is a guy in his mid-twenties, with dark tan skin and a confident smile. His face thinned slightly form the ears to the chin. Standing at 6ft 1in, the man had an average body appearance, if slightly thinner. His hair (combed) was pure white, making it stand out amongst the rest of his attire. He wore a pair of brown dress pants, a dark green dress shirt, a brown waistcoat, brown dress shoes, and a green long tie. The accessory that stood out was a slick pair of red sunglasses, completely covering his eyes. Underneath his right arm was a small stack of papers, while his left hand carried a cup of coffee. Casually walking towards the front of the class, the man placed his stack of papers on top of the desk, and then took a quick drink from his cup. After sighing with relief, he addresses the class in a deep, but casual tone, saying, "Hi. The name's Dario Vidal. I'm going to be your teacher for the next few days."

-----Karakura High School: Lunch Time-----

Classes were on break as students took their time to relax. Rukia and Orihime were spending time together with the other girls, while Ichigo, Uryu, and Chad were on the roof once more going over the recent events that transpired. Ichigo said, "Alright, when the hell did all this happen? I mean…when did our school agree to this?"

Uryu replied, "Recently, by the looks of it. They planned it for some time."

Chad spoke up with, "Anyway, it won't be all bad."

Confused, Ichigo asked, "Why's that?"

Chad simply replied, "Dario is my cousin." Ichigo was shocked at this, since he barely heard Chad talk about his family before. Chad continued with, "He's my uncle's son, but I haven't seen him since my Abuelo's funeral in Mexico."

Uryu then remarked, "That explains a lot. I wondered why he bore a resemblance to you. I'm surprised he doesn't have a Spanish accent." Chad only shrugged at that thought, since he couldn't explain it himself.

-----Karakura High School: P.E. Time-----

After lunch, P.E. classes started and, with no real surprise, a guest P.E. teacher was introduced. She stood at 6ft, and had a more athletic build. However, it couldn't be seen underneath her all-blue jumpsuit and white shoes. She had a regular girls face, albeit more kid-ish than she actually looks. Her hair and skin were both brown, with her hair unkempt and spiky. She carried a clipboard under her left arm and had a whistle around her neck. She then spoke up in a confident tone, saying, "Alright, everyone, listen up! For starters, I'm Rita Calado, straight out of Brazil, and I'll be your P.E. teacher for the next few days. During that time, I've gotten permission to perform my own rendition of the Olympics. So come on now, everybody. Its time to go to work!" Rita immediately showed off a gung-ho attitude, much to the surprise or embarrassment of the students. This at least beats regular P.E., but barely.

-----Soul Society, 8th Division HQ-----

Inside the HQ of the 8th Division, Captains Shunsui Kyoraku, Jushiro Ukitake, and Retsu Unohana are waiting for the arrival of official transcripts of eligible Shinigami to fill in the open Captian positions. Sitting around a round table, Shunsui said, "Well, this should be interesting. I wonder who'll make the cut?"

Retsu replied with, "It may not be as hard as we think. There is only a handful that could fill the position as captain. Still, it will be difficult just to choose from them all."

Jushiro nodded, saying, "Still, we should review each one over at least once. There could be something we won't realize on the first run-down." Both captains nodded in agreement. There could be more to one Shinigami than what they know first-hand.

Soon, 8th Division Lieutenant Nanao Ise arrived, carrying a folder underneath her right arm. Walking towards her captain, she stated, "Here are the transcripts of the eligible Shinigami, Captain. Directly from the main databanks."

"Thank you, Nanao," replied Shunsui, "Also, let us alone for a bit, would you kindly? This will take a while and we need all the time to ourselves."

Nanao nodded with, "Of course." She soon left the room, leaving the three captains by themselves once more.

"Alright," Shunsui said as he opened the file, "Whom do we have?"

-----Karakura Town, At Night-----

After school was over and night finally came, Ichigo and his friends staged a stakeout around the area where Ichigo first saw the figure. Once arriving, Rukia pointed out, "Yea, there was something here, all right. I can feel some residual spirit energy left behind."

Uryu then brought up, "In that case, it should be easier to track then. Once we've got its spiritual energy down, we should be able to find them. Let my try and find." Uryu then started to concentrate, hoping to find a trail he can pick up where Ichigo lost the figure.

Unfortunately, Ichigo interrupted Uryu with, "Hey, wouldn't it be easier just to find a Hollow and wait for them to show up? It was drawn out by one appearing, remember?"

Rukia chimed in with, "Looks like we're lucky." Rukia pulled out her Soul Phone from her uniform, saying, "There's a large concentration of Hollow activity north-west from here."

Orihime said, "Isn't there a warehouse up there?"

Ichigo replied, "Yea. And that's where we'll find them. Rukia and I will go ahead. Follow behind us until its safe. We still have no idea what we're dealing with."

-----5 minutes later-----

Ichigo and Rukia arrived close to the warehouse, waiting from across the street. Rukia then said, "Look, if they don't show up, we may need to step in and-" Soon, a familiar red blast shot out from the roof, tearing up the sky and it went higher. As the blast started to fade, Rukia, surprised at what she saw, said, "Never mind."

Both Rukia and Ichigo ran straight into the dark warehouse, showing signs of conflict between the mystery figure and the Hollows residing there. Looking around for a bit, Ichigo spotted the figure ahead of them, seeing the glowing beam in the figure's head as it turned to see them. Pointing to him, Ichigo said, "There he is!" As the figure started to run for it, Ichigo yelled, "We need to stop it!"

"On it." Rukia started to chant a kido spell, gathering spiritual energy from within. "Carriage of Thunder. Bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudo 61. **Rikujōkōrō!**" Soon, six beams of light slammed into the figure's midsection, effectively stopping them. "Don't try struggling. You won't get away again."

Cautiously, Ichigo approached the figure. Drawing Zangetsu from his back, Ichigo pointed the sword at the figure's back, saying, "Alright, enough games. Who the hell are you?"

"Come on, Ichigo," the figure said in a familiar tone, "I thought you would remember it from this morning." The figure turned its face towards Ichigo and Rukia, giving them both a shocked expression across their face.

"D…D…Dario?!?"


	4. Behind Their Backs: True Faces Revealed!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: 4 chapters in and already a major power will be introduced…which is kind critical for the up-coming chapters.

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-----Karakura Town, Abandoned Warehouse-----

Ichigo and Rukia just stood in surprise and awe at the site before them: Dario Vidal, their newest teacher and Chad's cousin, is also a spiritually aware human. Aside from his white hair spiked up in the back and a gray visor, Dario looked like he did this morning. Thanks to Rukia's Bakudo spell, Dario won't run away like he did the night before. Surprisingly calm, Dario asked, "Uh, is it okay if you come in front of me? I hate to keep my head turned like this." In moments, Chad, Uryu, and Orihime entered the warehouse, standing behind Ichigo and Rukia. Smiling, Dario stated, "So…you three are in it as well? That's nice to know."

Orhime, shocked at seeing her new teacher, asked, "Wait, is that really-"

Chad confirmed it. "It is Dario. There's n mistaken it." Even though they've rarely seen each other, Chad knows his relatives well.

Uryu, the only one not taken by surprise, said, "Well, it did seem rather convenient for a new teacher to appear the night after a new spiritual being appears." Summoning his Quincy bow in his hands, Uryu took careful aim at the immobile Dario. "So…is this just a cover or are you truly who you say you are?"

Sighing, Dario calmly explained, "My name **is **Dario Vidal. I was born in Puebla, Mexico. My grandfather is Oscar Joaquín. My father is Carlos Vidal and my mother is Maria Joaquín. Is that enough information for ya?" Dario had nothing to hide, easily cooperating with his captors.

Chad placed his hand on Uryu's arm, then glared at him to pacify. Uryu sighed and disarmed himself, then said, "Well…we still need an explanation for what you are doing here."

Rukia then said, "We already figured you are hunting Hollows as well, but it's probably more than to it than that. And since you're stuck, you don't have a choice."

Dario confirmed Rukia's statement, saying, "You're right about this technique. I don't think I can actually break out of it. Still, that doesn't mean I have too." Dario simply grinned, confident that he won't be held for long.

Confused, Ichigo then asked, "Wait, you're not doing this alone, are you?" Before Dario can reply, a new figure appeared from behind Uryu, reaching their hand out to Uryu's head. As Uryu turned his head towards the figure, it grabbed his head and quickly threw him to the other side of the warehouse. Falling limp, Uryu bounced on the ground a few times, then landed straight into the wall of the warehouse. Grunting, Uryu thought, "_Damn, why didn't I sense her?_"

"Uryu!" Manifesting his Brazo Derecha de Gigante (Right Arm of the Giant), Chad attempted strike at the approaching figure. The figure dodged Chad's strike, grabbing the arm and throwing him behind her. Chad flew for several feet before landing on the ground with a _thud!_

As the figure continued to move forward, Orihime then stepped in her way, chanting "Shanten Kesshun. I reject!" In seconds, three fairies appeared a formed a yellow barrier in front of Orihime, intending stop the figure in her tracks. Not stopping, the figure landed her foot against the barrier, and used it as a jumping point to jump past the barrier without fighting directly. Surprised, Orihime said, "Wow…that hasn't happened before."

Taking guard, Ichigo shouted, "Stop right there!" Swinging Zangetsu against the figure, Ichigo wanted to stop her pursuit. However, the figure landed on Zangetsu without injury, and then pushed hard enough to force Ichigo on his back. "_What the hell?_" The figure jumped off of the sword and rolled towards the immobile Dario. Standing back up, the figure shouted, "KIYAAAAA!" then smashed a beam of light holding Dario in place. Soon, the lights holding Dario in placed vanished, allowing Dario to move once more.

Shocked and in awe, Rukia thought, "_No way! She broke through the bakudo on strength alone!"_

Moving his legs a bit, Dario said to the figure, "Thanks for freeing me, Rita. Took you time I guess."

Rita, is a rude tone, replied, "Well, if you waited for me instead of running off by yourself, you wouldn't be in this mess."

Staying calm, Dario simply said, "Well, I figured you could take care of yourself. You always have in the past."

Pissed off, Ichigo stood up and said, "Alright. I've had enough of this crap!"

"Agreed," Uryu said, firing a Quincy arrow at Dario. Friend or not, questions still need to be answered. Before the arrow reached Dario, Rita quickly ran in the arrow's path, resulting in a large explosion. Dario, Rukia and Ichigo covered their eyes from the smoke.

Ichigo yelled, 'What the hell, Uryu? Why'd you have to kill here?"

"She's not dead," said, Chad, casually walking up to Ichigo with Orihime not too far behind.

Rukia confirmed with, "He's right. If she can break an lvl 61 Bakudo, she can survive a Quincy arrow. I just hop we didn't bang her up too badly." As the smoke cleared, it seemed that Rita was even injured at all, though her blue jumpsuit tore at the right arm and chest. What was truly surprising was Rita's physique underneath it. Smooth skin, 6-pack abs, and bulging muscles: she looked like she walked off the cover of a fitness magazine. It even revealed an orange and yellow spandex suit across her chest, with white, block letters spelling "CHAMP" on the front.

Ignoring Uryu's attack, Rita yelled, "Dammit, Dario! Why can't you learn to react faster?"

Dario answered with, "Well, when you learn to stop protecting me."

Steaming with anger, Rita said, "What was that?" Soon, Rita started to yell in the air, complaining how Dario takes things too casually, needing to be more serious, etc. Everyone else just stood around in complete shock and embarrassment.

Ichigo: "_First, she protects him. Then, she goes off on him.._"

Rukia: "_That blast could take ount a Hollow, but she isn't even taking notice to that._"

Orihime: "_Wow, they're a lot like a married couple. Wait, are they married?"_

Uryu: "_Breaking a high-level Bakudo, taking a blast without feeling it? They aren't normal humans."_

Chad: "…"

Tired of all the complaining, Dario said, "All right, enough, Rita. I get the point. Just chill." After Rita stopped yelling (but still angry), Dario explained to Ichigo's group, "We'll explain everything tomorrow. During lunch hour. On the High School roof." Moving his hands up to his visor, Dario stretched out his figures at near the front sides of the visor. "Bengala de Sol! (Solar Flare!)" Soon, a bright, red light flashed from Dario's visor, blinding Ichigo and his friends with efficiency. After the light faded, Dario and Rita were long gone.

-----Soul Society, 8th Division HQ-----

After several hours, the three captains were still going over the candidates fro the next Division captains. Jushiro and Retsu were still at the table, coming through the files of eligible Shinigami. Shunsui was off to the side, sleeping with his straw hat over his head. Jushiro seemed to have the hardest time, being stuck between two skilled Shinigami profiles. "Hmm…He is the most skilled…but he has the most experience."

Retsu asked, "Tough to pick from, Ukitake?"

Looking up at Retsu, Jushiro said, "Yes. It seems that there are many Shinigami with the right traits to be a captain, but it's so hard to choose. Some posses traits that others lack, but…" Jushiro looked over one of the files and continued, "…We need people who've handled this kind of responsibility."

Smiling, Retsu said, "So, you finally decided?"

Nodding, Jushiro said, "Yes. Since Shunsui already picked his, that just leaves you, Retsu."

"Oh," Retsu replied, "I've already chosen a nominee." She then held up a file, leaving Jushiro stunned from who is was.

"Really? But isn't he-"

"That's the past, Ukitake," Retsu stated. "Lets rest for tomorrow, then we'll give it to Yamamoto."

-----The Next Day, Karakura High School-----

After a night of revelations and surprises, Ichigo and his friends waited up on the rooftop of the school of Dario and Rita. It was surprising how both Dario and Rita didn't even remark to last night during class, though it was more like to protect their own identities from the students. Once lunchtime came around, they waited for the duo up on the rooftop, just like Dario wanted.

After a few minutes, Dario and Rita came up to the roof from the regular entrance. Dario had his hair slicked back and the red sunglasses once more, while Rita sported a green jumpsuit since her blue one was torn apart. They stopped and started to stare down with Ichigo, who seemed determine to get and answer one way or another. "Alright," Ichigo said, "just who are you?"

Dario, smiling and calmly saying, "We're agents…of the Thanatos Initiative."


	5. Concern for all: Thanatos Initiative?

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: The original Thanatos Initiative came from a RP Forum known as Coloholics Anonymous in a Bleach RP. I'll post the site at the end of this chapter. Also, for those who are wondering, I'll reveal the new captains before the story's done, so don't worry.

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-----Karakura Town, Karakura High School-----

Ichigo, Rukia, Chad, Uryu, and Orihime stood in mild shock at this revelation. They have already guess that their two new teachers, Dario Vidal and Rita Calado, were something more, but never expected that there was something bigger going on. Preferring to disprove that answer, Uryu asked, "If you are special agents, lets see some identification."

Raising an eyebrow, Rita firmly stated, "Hey, we can't just show off our papers like that! We're high-ranking agents of a super-organization scattered across the world. We don't have to give you sensitive information-"

"Alright," answered Dario, who soon began to search in his right pocket.

Turning her head to Dario, Rita yelled, "What the hell? What happened to "discretion?"

Smiling, Dario calmly stated, "I trust they can keep secrets. After all, they've kept their powers a secret from everyone, too." After finding a white card, Dario held it up towards Ichigo and his friends. On the front-right side was a picture of Dario's face, with his hair spiked in the back and gray visor on. To the left was information, saying:

SPIRITUAL AGENT DARIO VIDAL

RANKING: 5th

At the middle-bottom was a symbol, resembling a hand holding a thunderbolt. Underneath it in small text was:

"Adapt to overcome."

"Alright, I'm convinced."

"Same here."

"Yea."

"Mm-hm."

"Wait," Rukia asked, "What does 'Ranking: 5th' mean?"

Dario answered with, "It's the rank I hold for the Spiritual force of the Thanatos Initiative, along with Rita."

"Oh," said Rukia. Turning to Rita, Rukia asked, "What's your ranking?"

Acting rude again, Rita scoffed and said, "Please, like I'd be the one to reveal something like-"

"She's ranked 8th."

"DARIO!"

"What? I'm trying to cooperate here."

"Aren't you the one who wants me to shut it?"

"Normally, but this is different."

Out of the blue, Orihime says, "Its opposite day?" Everyone sweatdrops from that statement, causing Orihime to realize her question and feel embarrassed about it. "Sorry about that. I wasn't thinking ahead."

Continuing off before that, Dario said, "This is starting to get off-topic, so lets start this up against after school. That way, we'll have plenty of time to go over everything." Motioning Rita to following, both Dario and Rita left Ichigo and his friends more confused than before.

"Alright," Ichigo said, "Anyone pick up on anything?"

"Well," Uryu stated, "The ranking is about a state of power and position. I'm guessing Rita is like a lieutenant while Dairo is a captain…"

-----Soul Society, Seireitei-----

In the great long alleys of the Seireitei, 6th Division lieutenant Renji Abarai has come across his friend and fellow lieutenant Izuru Kira, who seems to be in a depressing mood.

Approaching his fellow Shinigami, Renji asked, 'Hey, why so sad? I mean…sadder than usual?"

Sighing heavily, Izuru replied, "Well, you remember how they will be electing new captains to fill in the empty positions, right?"

Smiling, Renji said, "Yeah, and honestly, I'm looking forward to it. It maybe the chance I need to achieve a Captain's status once and for all."

"What about me?" asked Izuru. "What if I get selected? I don't feel like I can do it. I mean, it sounds great but…" Izuru started to trail off a bit, with Renji coming back with his statement.

"Stop worrying about it, Izuru. I think it's that kind of attitude that you probably won't ever make it past Lieutenant."

"And you're saying you wouldn't mind if you happen to be my Captain?"

Renji said confidently, "Come on. I've got the skill, the determination, the Bankai: I don't see how it can't be me as the next Captain,"

-----Serireitei, Great Forest-----

Underneath the shade of a tree sat Ikkaku Madarame, the 3rd Seat of the 11th Division. With his release Zanpakuto resting on his shoulder, Ikkaku was enjoying a drink of sake from a gourd, and then said, "Damn, I hope they get this 'Captain elections' crap done soon. Its boring me to tears."

After drinking from it, Ikkaku tossed the gourd forward, having it caught by Tetsuzaemon Iba, sitting several feet ahead and also sitting underneath a tree with his released Zanpakuto. "Why on earth would you care? You don't even want to be a Captain." After taking a drink of sake, Tetsuzaemon tossed the gourd back to Ikkaku.

Catching it, Ikkaku replied, "Its because I know Bankai. If that's all, then they can easily give the job to someone who wants it more than me. I've got my mission in life and that's fine by me." Taking a big gulp in, Ikkaku tossed the gourd back to Tetsuzaemon.

"You idiot. Do you have to always think about yourself?" When he went to drink some sake, Tetsuzaemon discovered the gourd was empty. "And why the hell do you always have to finish off the sake!"

-----Serireitei, 7th Division HQ-----

Recently, the 9th Division Lieutnent, Shuhei Hisagi, decided to meet with 7th Division Captain Sajin Komamura, after the Battle of Fake Karakura Town. Inside Sajin's room, Shuhei and Sajin started to talk about their last confrontation with the former 9th Division Captain, Kaname Tousen. Shuhei started first with, "I'm sorry."

Confused, Sajin asked, "About what?"

"About former captain Tousen. The battle…I should have fought harder and-"

"You needn't worry about it, Shuhei Hisagi," stated Sajin. "Yes, he is gone, but he will return. I believe that when he returns, you must show him a side of you that he has never sensed before."

Surprised at that idea, Shuhei replied, "But…I just don't if I can. My Zanpakuto…its power feels too great for me."

In deep thought, Sajin answered with, "Then, it is time to face that power."

-----Seireitei, 10th Division HQ-----

Inside the office of the 10th Divion captain was the 10th Divison captain himself, Toshiro Hitsugaya. He's sitting behind his desk, though locked in a deep thought of his own. Remembering his fight with the Thrid Espada, Toshiro thought, "_So, how can I prepare for the Winter War?"_

Soon, a knock on the door was heard, then a familiar voice called out from behind it. "Toshiro, its Momo."

Exiting his train of thought, Toshiro got out from behind his desk. Heading towards a sofa in front of his desk, Toshiro said, "Its alright, Momo, you can enter." The door opened, revealing the timid 5th Division Lieutenant Momo Hinamorai. She seemed scared and/or sad, with Toshiro looking worried as well. "You still haven't gotten over the news, haven't you?"

Shaking her head, Momo said, "I don't want to think about it…" Approaching Toshiro, Momo softly said, "How can they do that? Just replace Captain Aizen-"

"Ex-Captain Aizen, Momo," stated Toshiro. It seemed that she hasn't gotten over the fact that Aizen betrayed the Soul Society.

"Right…I just…I…"Momo tried to speak up, but started to break down and cry.

Approaching Momo with caution, Toshiro stood next to Momo and tried to calm her down. "Its alright, Momo. Everything's going to be all right. Don't worry."

-----Karakura High School: After School-----

Normally, students would be excited to head back home and relax until the next school day. However, a few others have important matter to attend to. Orihime is briefly meeting with Tatsuki before meeting up with Ichigo. "So," Tatsuki asked, "are you going to be alright tonight?"

Nodding, Orihime said, "Yea. Ichigo said he'll be taking care of me tonight." Thinking again, Orihime then said, "Wait not like that…I mean-"

Lauching a bit, Tatsuki said, "I know what you mean. Don't worry." Before leaving, Tatsuki said, "See you tomorrow." Orihime waved back at Tatsuki as she headed home. Looking around herself, Orihime then ran off. She eventually met up with Ichigo, Uryu, Chad, Rukia, Dario and Rita, who where all meeting out in front of the school shed.

"Sorry if I'm late," apologized Orihime.

"Its alright," said Dario, "We don't need to rush this."

Ichigo then said, "Alright, so where's the entrance to this base of yours?" Dario turned and pointed to the shed itself. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Not really," stated Rita. "It changes around a bit."

Curious, Uryu asked, "You mean it changes location?"

"The doorway, anyway." Rita then made her way towards the entrance to the shed. The shed was normally locked, but Rita easily ripped the lock right off. Then, as she opened the door, she revealed to Ichigo and his friends a sight none of them even suspected.

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Link to Coloholics Anonymous: ?s=6898c7923cf442dc0527ca4570ac30fd&

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	6. Secrets Revealed: A Challenger Comes!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: Simply breakdown: Thanatos base and agents will be introduced in this chapter, along with the head honcho behind it all. Also, I'll reveal a captain-to-be before it ends.

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Normally, you would see gym equipment, groundskeeper tools and the occasional dead rat when you look inside the school shed. However, this was entirely different. When Rita opened the door to Ichigo and his friends, they got a glance at just how advanced the Thanatos Initiative has gotten. A long, metallic hallway, lined with various computer screens on both sides, stood in front of them. Ichigo and his friends just stood in shock and awe.

Ichigo said, "What…how-"

"Spatial doorway. Tends to be random sometimes. Try imagining opening a drawer and find this in place of socks," said Dario, trying to make a joke. He then took the first step in, followed by Rita.

Turning her head, Rita said, "Well, coming?" Snapping back to their senses, Ichigo and his friends followed Rita, with Chad being the last to enter. Before entering, he looked around to see if anyone was watching. Once he finished, he closed the shed door right behind him

-----Thanatos HQ, Location: Unknown-----

Ichigo and his friends looked at the computer screens as they followed Dario and Vidal down the hallway. They saw several different images on screen, including: somebody suiting up in an army uniform similar to something out of _Gears of War_, multiple soldiers training with firearms, a group of soldiers taking down a group of hollows, a "slick" version of a black tank firing at a Gillian Menos Hollow, and a few soldiers out of uniform and just socializing. "Jeez," Ichigo said out loud, "Just how many of these guys are around?"

Dario answered with, "I think well over ten thousand. Each one handpicked for this kind of operation." When they reached the end of the hallway, Dario turned to the group and said, "You'd be surprised just how many are qualified for this kind of work." Near the side of the end of the hallway, Rita placed a hand on a scanner on the wall. After having ti scanned, a computer voice rang out with:

"SPIRITUAL AGENT: RITA CALADO CONFIRMED. ACCESS GRANTED."

A metal door opened in front of them, prompting the group to enter inside and gaze in wonder. A massive room, filled with other Thanatos agents walking about, socializing or doing work on their own. In the far back of the room is a set of pillars, which actually housed elevators. In an announcer form, Dario said, "This…is the main floor of the Thanatos HQ. Generally used for relaxation between missions and the like."

Estatic, Orihime said, "Wow, this is incredible."

Surprised, Uryu asked, "You're saying, everyone here-"

"-is a low-ranking Thanatos agent, unlike Dairo and I." Rita then motions the group to continue following her and Dario. Reaching the middle pillar, the doors slid open to reveal an empty elevator. Everyone boarded the elevator, with Rita selecting a button already. Soon, the doors closed and the elevator started to go up.

"Uh," Orihime asked, "Where are we going?"

"First floor. We'll be going up until we meet the commander."

"Who's that?"

"You'll see." The elevator stopped, with the doors opening. The first floor looked like something out of a fancy hotel, with red carpets, beige wallpaper, and even some candlelights near a few red doors. Rita continued with, "This first floor houses our computer staff, as well as the 13 Spiritual Agents, like Dario and I."

"I'm surprised," Uryu said, "You're not in an angry mood at all."

Rita, taking the comment the wrong way, said, "Wait, are you saying I'm **always **in an angry mood?"

Nervous, Uryu said, "No…I mean not really…its just-"

"Don't let her get to you," Dario explained, "He tends to be a bit emotional sometimes, but I'm usual the one causing her the most grief." The elevator doors closed once more, and then went back up once more.

"How many floors are there?" asked Rukia.

"Three floors up and three floors down." answered Dario.

"…and the next floor?" asked Ichigo.

"The medical floor. If we're lucky, we might be able to see her at a free moment." Soon the elevators stopped and the doors opened once more. This time, an advance medical center appeared, complete with operating tables and advanced machinery. Out of all of Ichigo's friends who looked on, Uryu stood the most surprised.

"Incredible," Uryu said, "My father's hospital equipment is nothing like this."

"The Thanatos HQ houses one of the most advanced medical centers in the world. Considering what we're fighting, we cannot afford anything but the best!" explained Dario.

"So, who runs it?" asked Uryu.

"Hello," said a quiet, serene voice. All heads turned to the voice, revealing a female just into her 20s and standing a little under 6ft tall. She possessed a clean, calming face, complete with hazel eyes and a small smile. Her white skin, along with her long brown hair, made her quite attractive. She's wearing clear-framed glasses, along with a modified doctor's uniform, much sleeker compared to a standard one. She then said, "I'm sorry, you must be new here."

Taking advantage of the moment, Dario said, "Everyone, this is Sofia Bianco. She's our head doctor of the Thanatos Initiative and ranked 7th among the Spiritual Agents."

Grinning, Ichigo looked at Rita and said, "So she's your boss?"

"Don't push it, Ichigo," said a peeved Rita.

"I'm sorry," said Sofia, "I didn't want to cause any trouble."

"It's alright, Sofia," said Dairo. "You don't always have to take the blame. That's what us bigshots are for."

"What is he, her father?" whispered Ichigo to Chad.

"No," Chad replied, "Her friend."

"Oh, thank you," replied a calmer Sofia. "I should get back to work now." She then turned around and walked over to one of the surgery tables. Soon, the elevator doors closed once more and the elevator went up.

"A little on the sensitive side," stated Uryu.

"She's always like that. Just wants to make people proud of her," said Rita.

"Heads up, everyone. We're entering the brain behind this operation," stated Dairo. Sure enough, when the doors reopened, a grand sight was beheld. Several small computer screens surrounded a large room, with the circular platform in the middle. A level below the circle is several Thanatos agents, working on their own computers simultaneously. The platform itself had a large table, with the same hand holding a lightning bolt symbol in the middle. Around the table were 13 metal chairs, each for one Spiritual Agent. A floor above is a thin walkway around the platform, with the largest computer screen right across from the elevator. Everyone soon stepped off the elevator and went down some stairs to the table.

"Incredible," said Uryu.

"This is the brain behind the Thanatos Initiative," said Dario. "The mind, however…" he said as he pointed to a figure up in front of the large computer screen. The figure had their back turned, but looked mid-20s. Combed black hair and a black business suit attire made him look very official. Turning around, the white male showed his green eyes and goatee to his subordinates and guests.

Smiling, the man spoke in a casual tone with, "Name's Scott Sanders. Ranked 1st of the Spiritual Agents and 4th Generation Leader of the Thanatos Initiative."

-----Seireitei, 1st Division HQ-----

Inside the grand hall of the 1st Division, Captain Commander Yamamoto, along with Captains Kyoraku, Unohana and Ukitake, are waiting for the arrival of a certain someone.

"So…the last one, correct?" asked Yamamoto.

"We preferred to stick with just 3 for now, Commander," said Jushiro.

"Very well. Enter." Soon a figure started to approach the Captains, then knelt down on one knee when they were only a few feet in front of them. "You have been selected to become a Captain. But first, you must pass a dangerous test to perform Bankai. If you pass that test, you shall achieve the Title of Captain for your specified division. Will you accept?"

"Yes, Commander Yamamoto."

"Then rise and head to the designated training area…Shuhei Hisagi."


	7. Questions Answered: Answers Questioned!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: Longest chapter yet and a wrap-up of Thanatos HQ, along with the introductions of two Thanatos Agents. You're also about to see the clever side of me.

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-----Thanatos Initiative HQ, 3rd Floor-----

In the middle of the large room, Ichigo and his friends took a seat around the large table, with Dario, Rita, and the recently met Scott Sanders across from them. Scott broke the silence first, saying, "If you want, I'll be answering any questions you may have about the Initiative as a whole. I'm guessing it's already confusing as it is."

Rukia said, "True. I think my brain's in a mess just by looking around this floor."

"Its common for newcomers to get zoned-out when coming to this floor," stated Dario, "Best to try and brace yourself next time."

Leaning forward, Uryu said, "Then brace for our questions: how long as your organization been active?"

Scott answered, "Since the turn of the century, a good 105 years ago. My grandfather, Arnold Sanders, was a scientist and inventor in New York City, New York. During his life, he debated on the existence of ghosts and spirits with other scientists. It wasn't until 1904 that he uncovered the existence of these spirits, appearing to perform violent acts upon unsuspecting humans. These resulted in a number of ways, ranging from small scratches to full-blown murder. My grandfather tried to convince President Roosevelt at the time to start up an organization to counter against these forces. Roosevelt let my great-grandfather perform his experiment to battle the evil spirits. In less than a month, murder rates in New York City dropped 20 percent. A month later, my grandfather got the funding to form the Thanatos Initiative, named after the Greek God of Death. It wasn't until the middle of World War II that the organization became international. Since then, we've been secret funded by a majority of the countries in the world. We are practically our own country."

"Except you guys sell soldiers to fight, right?" asked Ichigo.

Nodding, Scott said, "Yes, but we confirm any attacks from these spirits before we send a squad over. We don't want a 'Cry Wolf' event happening, right?"

Ichigo and his friends just sat confused, staying silent for several seconds until Uryu asked, "So, what made you stumble into Karakura Town?"

Dario spoke first with, "We've been getting spikes in spirit energy in that town, going up and down for days on end. It wasn't until a few days ago that the entire town just disappeared off the face of the earth!" Rukia was shocked at that statement, fearing they may've discovered the battle with Soul Society and Aizen.

Scott then said, "We still aren't sure what caused it, but we're still looking for answers."

As Rukia sighed with relief, Ichigo said, "So, then you guys arrive and that brings us to here."

"Exactly," stated Scott, "you guys may prove useful to us in the near future. Maybe even as new recruits?"

"Uh…no," said Ichigo, "I'll stick to being e free agent."

Shrugging, Scott said, "I offered. Dario. Rita. Continue the tour. Then continue with the mission."

"Of course, sir," said Dario.

"Alright," said Rita. It wasn't long before everyone boarded back onto the elevator. "Next stop: the Research Department." The elevator doors closed and off they went.

As they left, Scott said to himself, "Nice group of kids." Seemingly distracted, Scott said, "Not really. You can continue." After a few more seconds, Scott said, "Just stick with the important details. We can work a way around it."

-----Sub-Level 1: Research Department-----

When the elevator doors reopened, Ichigo and his friends saw an impressive floor before them. This floor was filled with several scientists, most of them working together on devices around them. The room itself was sleek and hi-tech, mostly shaded in silver and platinum. Various mechanical devices seemed to rum amok in this area. "Let me guess: you build some crazy shit in this floor?" asked Ichigo.

"Good guess. You can see that our equipment is top of the line and pretty futuristic," said Dario.

"Is this floor also run by a Spiritual Agent?" asked Orihime.

"Give the girl a prize," called out a new voice. A guy flew in on what looks like a flying, silver disk. Landing on the ground, the man said, in a Cockney accent, "Welcome, loves, to the future." Unlike the clean appearance of the other scientists, this one seemed quite messy. Blue jeans, blue t-shirt, brown shoes, brown jacket around waist: he looked more like a mechanic than a scientist. The dark-brown, blond dreadlocks man had red goggles around his forehead, making his head look like a pineapple. His long face and brown eyes made him look laid-back, despite being the same size as Ichigo. He even sounded laid-back, saying, "Name's Alexander Henderson, ranked 3rd among the Spiritual Agents and Chief Scientist in the Thanatos Initiative." Pulling his goggles down and leaning towards Rukia, he casually said, "Do you want a private tour?"

Ichigo pushed Alexander back, saying, "Back off."

"Its alright, chap. I understand you want to protect your girlfriend."

"hey, she's not my-"

"Mr. Henderson!" shouted a female scientist near the middle of the room.

"Relax, old girl," yelled Alexander, "and you can call me Alex."

"We're about to re-modify the D.D. Your help is required."

Shrugging, Alex turned to Dario and Rita and said, "We'll catch up later. Got a job to do."

-----Back in the Elevator-----

"Guys pretty smart."

"That's nothing, Uryu. He literally built this base from the underground up."

"That's true. He designed the command floor, sleeping quarters: everything. He considers it a hobby."

"Wow, he must be super-smart!"

"Yea, but a little too relaxed, Orihime."

"What's the matter, Ichigo? Afraid of losing position as 'top dog'?"

"Shut up, Rukia!"

-----2nd Underground Floor: Training hub-----

Upon arriving in the second floor underground, the group walked around in a small room, large enough to hold them all but with walls covered in all sorts of machines. Right across from the elevator was a wide glass window, with a new figure standing in front of it. The man turned around, revealing to be much older than everyone else in the room, between early and mid-40s in age. He sported a brown mullet, short beard, and some wrinkles across his cheeks. He wore a skin-tight, black stealth suit, complete with a knife holder around his right leg and gun on his left shoulder. The most startling feature was a black eye patch, covering his entire eye. It seemed to wrap around his head, being covered by a black headband as well. He was a sturdy man, physically fit and standing a good 3 inches over Ichigo. He also looked stern, rarely cracking a smile. In a deep, foreign accent, the man asked, "New recruits?"

"More like 'allies,'" said Rita.

Sighing, the man said, "Fine. I am Missah Gerasimov: former SPETZNAZ and 2nd in command of the Spiritual Agents."

Uryu then replied, "So you're Black Ops?"

"Former," said Missah, "I'm also a veteran here, even possessing membership long before Commander Sanders."

"So, you knew his father?" asked Chad.

"A brave comrade, and intelligent leader. He is missed," said Missah. He turned back to the glass and said, "I guess you know why I'm here, right?"

"You're a drill sergeant," said Uryu.

"Good call. I train these agents in here. We call it the Kitchen. 'If you can't stand the heat-"

"-get out of the Kitchen," finished Rita.

'Exactly. Below me are the agents, fighting with advanced holo-graphics, capable of making any battleground and any enemy." Hi-tech was nothing: the Kitchen was more sci-fi than modern. Regular agents fought across a blasted ground below the main deck, fighting against grotesque Hollow projections. "I train them to anticipate and control the situation for themselves. I even bring in part of my SPETZNAZ training as well into the routine."

"Wow," said Uryu. "_So they're like elite soldiers…"_

Turning back around, Missah said, "How goes the tour?"

"One more floor left, then we're heading back," said Rita.

"Fine. I'll tell Vladimir you've said hi."

"Who's Vladimir?" asked Rukia.

"Vladimir Lazar. Ranked 12th of the Spiritual Agents and our newest recruit."

"Forget I asked," said Rukia.

-----3rd Underground Floor: The Plant-----

The elevator started to open its doors, but it was still in the motion of going down. "Woah," said Ichigo, "What's going on?"

"Consider this a brief glimpse at the heart of the Thanatos Initiative," said Dario. Sure enough, the elevator doors opened to reveal a glass barrier, but what was beyond the barrier was truly astonishing: several containers, each larger than a 2-story house, lined across the ground. Each one glowed with a faint blue light. "5 years ago, we've hit a major power discover. Every time we took out an evil spirit, they'd release a build-up of energy. We've discovered how to gather that energy. Since then, we're started to collect it and use it to power the base. We haven't come up with a name for it yet but-"

"That's…pure Reishi (Spirit Particles)" said Rukia.

Thinking about that name, Dario said, "Sounds interesting. It fits, I guess."

-----Karakura Town, Karakura High School-----

It was nighttime in Karakura Town, with the clear night sky overhead. Ichigo, Chad, Orihime, Rukia, and Uyru exited the Thanatos Initiative HQ from the High School shed, followed by Dario and Rita. "So," asked Uryu, "What's your mission?"

"Hm?" Rita said.

"You guys came back, so your mission obviously is not done."

"Sorry, that's enough talking for one night," said Dario.

"Come on," Ichigo asked, "You told us about your team and stuff. How about we tell you about us?"

"Uh," Rukia started to say, "Ichigo…"

"Don't worry," said Rita. "We trust you." Sighing Ichigo and his friends took off to their respective homes looking forward to a day off tomorrow. With Dario and Rita left, Rita said, "I'm surprised you didn't tell them about the mission."

"At least not yet. Besides, they didn't need to tell us any of their secrets."

"That's true. We got enough out of them without even trying."


	8. Reveal All: Life before Thanatos!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: There's going to be some back story for Dario and Rita this chapter, along with the some details on the Captain's Trial.

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-----Seireitei, Underground Training Area-----

Large, rocky, and full of space: this underground training area was used by the duo Urahara Kitsuke and Yoruichi Shihoin when they were much younger. Now, it is being used by the Gotei 13 as a special training ground to conduct the Captain's Trial for three candidates, among them Shuhei Hisagi. Shuhei just stood around in awe, surprised to see such a large space stay hidden for so long. "So, this is where the test will take place."

"Yes," said Yoruichi, who is chosen to oversee the Captain's Trial. "Along with the other candidates, you'll be tested to see if you can achieve Bankai in the next few days."

"So," asked Shuhei, "When will I meet the other candidates?"

"They'll be training in separate areas. Thankfully, this place is large enough to house all three trials at the same time," answered Yoruichi. She then revealed a familiar item to Shuhei, hidden from sight behind a large boulder. "This," she started to explain, "is a Tenshinitai. Just stab it with your Zanpakuto and your test shall begin. Are you ready, Shuhei Hisagi?"

Shuhei looked at his sheathed sword and remembered his former captain's words:

"_Those who do not know fear are not fit for battle_."

Finally unsheathing his sword, Shuhei said, "Alright then. I'm ready."

-----Karakura Town, Main Plaza-----

In the heart of Karakura Town, various shops and stores are set up to provide the needs (and wants) of the citizens. Outside a coffee shop, the Thanatos Agent Dario is relaxing, due to it being the weekend with his cover as a transfer teacher. He casually dressed in a white t-shirt, jeans, and brown shoes. He still sported his red sunglasses, but allowed his hair to spike up in the back. He's sitting down t a table, reading a newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee. Eventually, he was called upon by a familiar voice. "Dario?" Looking past the newspaper, Dario saw his cousin, Chad, standing in front of the table. Like Dario, Chad was also in casual wear, sporting a pink t-shirt, brown pants and shoes.

"Sado," said Dario. "I take it you want to ask some questions?"

"And you're saying you can answer them, right?"

Folding his newspaper down, Dario said, "We're family, Sado. I've got nothing to hide from you." Chad then pulled up the seat across from Dario, sitting across from his cousin. "So, how are your other friends, Sado?"

"They're fine, Dario. Ichigo is helping his family at their clinic today. Orihime is with another friend of ours, Tatsuki."

"Yea, she's in our class…What about Uryu?"

"His dad wants his help at the hospital, too."

"…and Rukia?"

Pausing to think for a moment, Chad answered, "…She lives with Ichigo, so I think helping him as well."

-----Karakura Town, Downtown-----

Chad was further from the truth then he realized. It seemed that Rukia was doing some questioning as well, having tracked down Rita to the local gym. Inside, Rita was already doing her routine exercises. She sported a green and yellow tanktop and shorts, along with white running shoes. Rukia was just in her blue dress and black shoes, keeping her distance from Rita as she was exercising. Staring in awe, Rukia just said, "Wow."

Confused, Rita said, "What?"

"I mean…I just haven't seen anything like you before."

"What? A fitness model?"

"Well…"

Laughing a bit, Rita said, "Don't worry. It's all right to feel a bit nervous. Heck, when I was younger, I swore I thought I was scared of my own shadow."

"Guess you've changed a lot since then."

"Considering I was the youngest girl in my family, it was only natural. I was always intimidated by people bigger than me: my teachers, my two brothers, my dad."

Interested, Rukia asked, "When did all that change?"

"Back in college, during my junior year, a friend of mine got a real jerk for a boyfriend. A bully, basically. Since I couldn't stand up for myself, I decided to stand up for my friend. The summer before seniorr year, I started to train. Lifting weight, running miles, taking martial arts, you name it. When junior year started, the boyfriend stood well away from my friend, even when I wasn't around. She was happy and so was I."

Sensing something else, Rukia said, "But…"

Sighing a bit, Rita answered, "One day, he jumped me and my friend one day. It seemed like he gotten a few friends of his to try and 'coerce' me to leave my friend alone. Even brought a shotgun to try to change my mind."

"How'd you reply?"

Smiling Rita said, "I snapped it in two."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. When I did, the gang just fled, terrified of what I may do to them. It wasn't till a few days later that Thanatos found out about me and offered me a position. I accepted."

"So, what if you possessed the courage you have now back when you were younger. Would it change much?"

Smiling again, Rita stated, "No."

-----Karakura Town, Shopping District-----

Several blocks away, Orihime Inoue and her friend, Tatsuki Arisawa, were finished shopping from the supermarket. Orihime wore a purple t-shirt, yellow skirt and shoes, while Tatsuki wore a black shirt, white jacket, green pants and black shoes. "Thanks again, Tatsuki. I usually don't have someone going shopping with me."

"Well," said Tatsuki, "I'd figure you could try out something different. Maybe some regular old ramen noodles?"

"Why just that? Add some wasabi, some eel, maybe even cheese-"

"Please," said Tatsuki, "Try not to make anything upsetting to the stomach."

Somewhat disappointed, Orihime said, "Alright. Maybe another time."

Sighing with relief, Tatsuki then asked, "Ya know, I haven't seen much of you recently. What gives?"

"Uh…" Orihime remembered how she and Ichigo, along with Chad, Uryu, and Rukia, were busy against Aizen and recently, the Thanatos Initiative. Wanting to protect Tatsuki from that like she was protected from the bullies, Orihime said, "Nothing really special."

"Uh. Fine." Tatsuki thought back when she saw the Arrancar Yammy try to suck her soul out, how Chad and Orihime tried to protect her, and when Ichigo, Chad, and Uryu went off to rescue Orihime. Knowing that Orihime wants to protect Tatsuki from that, she decided to play along. "Come on. We'll cut through park to get home faster.

"Alright." Tatsuki and Orihime walked through the nearby park, passing a group of kids playing with a ball. Unfortunately, the ball was tossed out into the street by accident. One kid shouted he'd get it, with Tatsuki and Orihime watching as they passed by.

-----Karakura Town, Main Plaza-----

"So," Chad asked, "How'd you get your powers?"

Scratching his head, Dario said, "It's complicated. Before, all I could do was see spirits. Even then it was a long time ago. On the day Grandfather Oscar died, he came to me at night. He asked me to keep a promise. He said: _Look after Sado_. Back then I barely knew you, though I did know you left for Japan not much later."

Curious, Chad asked, "Why didn't you follow me?"

"Well," Dairo casually said, "I wasn't exactly rolling in the greens around that time. Eventually, I graduated from college as a lawyer and worked in Mexico City. It was a good job: nice pay, well-kept apartment and I got to deal out some justice against some troublemakers. Unfortunately, it turned pretty quickly. A week after I helped put away a leader of a small gang, they set the building I worked in on fire. I helped rescue a few people, but falling debris knocked me unconscious. I awoke two days later in a hospital. Then bad turned to worst."

"Your powers manifested?"

Pointing to his glasses, Dario said, "When I opened my eyes, I blasted 3 floors in front of me straight out of the building. The good news was that nobody was hurt. The bad news…I can't control it. Not too long after, Commander Sanders himself came and offered a chance to control my powers. I accepted."

Somewhat confused, Chad asked, "How do the glasses-"

"Specially made gemstone, designed to absorb the blasts without breaking. That's how I can still see." Taking a sip from his coffee, Dario asked, "Anything else."

Chad shook his head, saying, "No, but its interesting. My power manifested when it came to save someone, too. I still don't know how I got them."

"Well, we figured out how humans can manifest these powers. It involves a build-up of spirit power inside the individual. Then, in two ways, the powers then show themselves."

"So, how do they come out?"

"The first one is uncommon, mainly the powers just come during adolescence or childhood." Dario then started to drink from his coffee cup.

"And the second?"

After a drink, Dario said, "Extreme emotional stress."

_CRASH!_


	9. Force to Reckon: New Power is Revealed!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: Important plot point ahead. Other than that, nothing.

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_CRASH!_

Both Chad and Dario stood up from their seats and looked towards the direction of the sound. From what they heard, it sounded like a car simple crashed into something. "It sounded close by," said Dario.

"It over by- oh no," said Chad, who immediately ran off towards the direction of the sound.

"Sado! Wait up!" shouted Dario as he followed his cousin. "_One of his friends…it has to be!" _

----After Several Minutes of Running-----

Both Chad and Dario arrived at a crash site, right near the Shopping District. From what they saw, it seemed like a kid lost his ball in the road, while a small car came driving through. Worst-case scenario: a death in either the boy or driver. The good news: both were fine. The bad news: the car was wrecked and not in the usual way. The front of the car slammed into something, but it wasn't a pole or tree. Whatever did it implanted something that crushed the grill, front bumper, and engine in one shot. Maybe it left an imprint. Before cops could force all the bystanders back, Dario quickly took out his cellphone and snapped a picture with it of the front of the car. Chad decided to talk to the driver, a middle-aged man who was sitting on the sidewalk. "Are you alright, sir?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I don't have an idea of what hit me. At least the kid is safe."

"Yea," said Chad. He then walked up the kid who could've gotten injured. "Hey, are you alright?"

The kid was in tears, whimpered, "Yea…I don't…I felt pushed and…" Then the kid just cried on and on.

Dario met back up with Chad, asking, "Got anything?" Chad just shook his head. "Its alright. I'll send my picture of the care to Alex. He can probably analyze the damage just by looking at it. Until then-"

"Ichigo's family clinic is ten minutes from here. We'll head there."

-----Meanwhile-----

It seemed like slow day at the Kurosaki Clinic, with Ichigo's family just moving and taking inventory on supplies. Ichigo, with a white t-shirt over blue long-sleeved, gray pants and white shoes, was starting to carry supplies to the supply closet. His sister, Karin Kurosaki, opened the door for him. "Thanks, Karin," said Ichigo, as he placed the box at the bottom of the closet. Sighing, he said, "What else does Dad need done?"

Karin, in her usual gusto, said, "Don't know. He's with helping Yuzu in the backroom."

"Fine," said Ichigo. "I'll stand guard then." Ichigo made his way to the front of the Kurosaki Clinic, waiting in case of any emergency coming in. Resting against the wall near the front door, Ichigo thought, "_There's something going on with Dario and Rita. Why are they still here?"_

"ICHIGO!" shouted a familiar voice. Turning to his left side, Ichigo saw Orihime holding up an unconscious Tatuski by her right arm.

"What the…" said Ichigo, as he rushed up to help Orihime carried Tatsuki in. Once they made it inside, he shouted, "Karin, get Dad! We have an emergency right now!" Karin simply nodded and went to find their father. Ichigo and Orihime then carried their friend towards an empty room, with Ichigo asking, "What the hell happened?"

Stuttering, Orihime answered, "I don't know, she…just fainted. I can't say why, but-"

"It doesn't matter right now. She'll be fine," said Ichigo, as he lifted Tatsuki by himself and laid her out across the bed. Not soon after, Ichigo's father came in and started to look over Tatsuki. "Hey Dad, will she be alright?"

"She's fine," said a calmer Isshin, "Her body temperature is higher, but other than that, he's fine. All she needs now it to rest." Orihime and Ichigo sighed with relief, knowing that Tatsuki will be fine. "We'll leave you two here to watch after." Isshin then left the room, leaving Ichigo and Orihime by themselves.

Not long after, the bell rang with the arrival of someone else. Chad and Dario entered through the front door, greeting Isshin as they passed him.

"Hello, Mr. Kurosaki," said Chad.

"Kurosaki? So, you're Ichigo's father. Nice to meet you," said Dario, who held out his hand for a handshake.

Isshin simply shook back and said, "You're his new teacher, right? Pleasure to meet you." Turning to Chad, he continued with, "He's with Orihime and Tatsuki two rooms on the left. Try not to disturb her." _Disturb her?_ "Anyway, holler it you need anything," said Isshin as he walked back to the backroom of the clinic.

"Nice guy," said Dario.

"At least he isn't hyper as usual," said Chad. They both walked in to see Ichigo and Orihime looking over the unconscious Tatsuki. Chad was first by saying, "Is she alright?"

"She's fine," Ichigo said, "Just let here rest."

"So," Dario said, "This is Tatsuki."

"Yeah, she's in the same class as me. What, it'd take you just now to realize it?"

"No, Ichigo. I know her name from the roster, but I couldn't pick her out of the other girls in the class. I've only been doing this for a few days."

"Fine. Don't get all flustered." Ichigo pulled up an empty sit and decided to relax in it.

"At least it isn't going to get any worse," said a pleased Orihime.

"Trust me, Orihime," answered Dario, "It can." Immediately, the ringtone of "Axel F" rang out in the room, prompting everyone to look around to find the source of the music. Sure enough, Dario pulled out his phone and said, "Sorry." He answered the phone with, "What'd you find, Alex?"

"Huh?" said a confused Ichigo.

"Dario took picture of an accident not too far away from here. Sent it to the tech guy from Thanatos to look into it," answered Chad in place of Dario. At that sound, Orihime started to cringe slightly.

"Yea, some of them are here. Hold on, I'll put you on speaker." Dario then placed his phone on the ground, wanting the sound to reach everyone in the room. "Go ahead, Alex."

" 'ello, hello everybody, " said an enthusiastic Alex over the phone. Back at the Thanatos HQ, Alex was looking at a computer screen being used by another scientist. "I've got big news on that picture you sent me, Dario."

"Well, spill."

"It seems that whatever broke through was definitely stronger than metal, but the strange thing is that it is partially melted from the impact area." This caused everyone in the room to get confused. "Seemed like whatever penetrated the car was heated at high temperatures."

"A specific range?"

"Think surface of the sun." Everyone cringed at that thought instantly. "But it doesn't stop there."

'Crap," said Ichigo, "What could be worse?"

"Whatever did it wasn't a mineral or vegetable. It was an animal: specifically human, female and judging by the impact, probably one who knows martial arts."

"Thanks, Alex, but we've already found her."

"Wait, what?" said a startled Ichigo. "What do you mean 'we already found her?'"

Closing his cell phone, Dairo replied, "Rita and I were tasked to finding out the source of Karakura's disappearance a few days ago. What we found were 6 different spikes in spiritual power. We've already seen the first five, being you guys."

"So you're saying the sixth…"

Nodding, Dario replied, "…is Tatsuki Arisawa."


	10. Choice at Hand: New Captain Here?

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: Another character is introduced, and this time, it's a captain!

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-----Seireitei, Underground Training Area-----

Shuehi Hisagi trained for several hours since this morning, his injuries against his Zanpakuto spirit, Kazeshini. With a tired Shuhei resting against a large boulder, the black demon Kazeshini laughed at his master's attempts. "Kehahaha! Is that it? Why, that's no fun!" shouted the insane spirit. As he bull-rushed the exhausted Shuhei, he reverted back to the white Teshinitai form.

Lefting of a sigh of relief, Shuhei thought, "_Whoa…lucky break."_

"That's enough for now," shouted Yoruichi, watching from atop a larger boulder. Pointing behind her, Yoruichi instructed, "There's a hot spring not to far in here. Rest up a bit, and we'll go at it again." Shuhei simply nodded, limping over towards the hot springs.

Taking off his clothes and resting in the hot springs, he noticed that all his wounds started to heal themselves. "The water…so it possesses a healing ability as well." Looking up to the rocky ceiling, Shuhei said, "All this time…how could we miss this?"

"I guess that's the question for today." Shuhei looked back across from him to see another figure stepping into the spring. The figure was definitely female: well-shaped and proportioned body, smooth pale skin, long, silver hair down her back. There was also an eerie resemblance to the previous captain, Gin Ichimaru as well, mainly how her face, while feminine, also had her eyes constantly shut. In a polite tone, she asked, "May I join you?"

Shuhei's face started to turn red, seeing a girl just covered in a towel right in front of him. He was barely making out a single coherent word, until he gained a nerve and said, "Uh…sure?" Nodding, the girl slowly took off her towel and entered the spring across from Shuhei. Shuhei just sat and watched without a care, before he snapped back to reality. He then said, "I…uh…I'm Shuhei Hisagi, the lieutenant of the 9th Division."

"Fuji Kitsune. Former 4th Division 5th Seat and 8th Division 3rd Seat."

"So," said a startled Shuhei. "You're saying you were a subordinate under Captain Unohana and Captain Kyoraku?" This caused Shuhei to think if either captain may've had influence to convince her to attempt the Captain's Trial.

"Yes, only recently I've been a seated officer under Captain Kyoraku." Shuhei just looked deadpanned, thinking that Captain Kyoraku allowed such a pretty girl under his command even think to attempt this. "Anyway, how is you're test going?"

"Uh, not very good," said Shuhei. Thinking of changing the topic, Shuhei asked, "Hey, how's the other Shinigami doing?"

Fuji looked confused, saying, "I don't know. I haven't seen him myself."

Disappointed, Shuhei said, "Great. We've got a total unknown here taking this test and we don't have anything on him."

"Actually, I heard of his name from Yoruichi. He's called Hisoka Myouma."

"Great anything else?"

"Yes," said Yoruichi, who was standing front of the hot springs, surprising both Shuhei and Fuji. "He's the first Shinigami to complete this test in less than a day."

-----Karakura Town, Kurosaki Clinic-----

Back at the clinic, Ichigo was still getting over the revelation of Tatsuki being another spiritually powered human like his other friends. "Great, how the hell could this happen?"

Chad explained, "Well, Dairo says that a human builds up a large amount of spirit particles within themselves, and the powers are activated through extreme emotional stress."

"Great, so stopping a car with one kick knocked her out? That doesn't make any sense. Who the heck gets knocked out after using their powers for the first time?" Dario, Chad and Orihime both raise their hands, albeit slightly disgruntled. "Sorry guy but…Tatsuki is supposed to be tougher than this."

"Not really," stated Dario, "Even if they posses a great will, most spiritually powered people faint after using their power for the first time. From there, she needs to try and summon her powers on her own."

"Wait," asked Orihime, "Are you saying she could become like us?"

Dario nodded. "If she remembers how to activate her powers on her own. Otherwise, she could go back into being just an ordinary high school student."

"I say wait and see," said a calmer Ichigo. "if she doesn't remember how she did it, we could use help like her." Orihime shuddered at the thought of having another friend fighting against a force like Aizen and his Arrancars.

"Still, let's-" said Dario before his cell phone interrupted him once more. As he answered it, he said, "Hey Rita. Yes, we found her. She's still unconscious. Yes, you won the bet."

Slightly furious, Ichigo said, "Wait, what bet?"

Turning to Ichigo, Dario said, "Remember Rita's job? She was gathering statistics on the different students at Karakura High School. She considered any who scored the highest to be potentials. Tatuski was one of them."

"Was she that good?" asked Orihime.

"Put it this way: she could win the Olympics by herself."

"BULLSHIT!" shouted Uryu, who scared Ichigo and Orihime as he jumped into the room.

"Dammit, Uryu, you didn't have to scare us…anyway, why are you here?" asked Ichigo.

Uryu explained, "My dad allowed me to leave the hospital after hearing about the car accident. Since I remembered Orihime was going out with Tatsuki in that general area, this was the first place that came to mind."

"Aside from the fact that makes no sense-"

"Yes it does, Ichigo! If a car crashes near an area where my friends may be, I assumed-"

"Alright," said Dario, who broke Uryu and Ichigo up, "Before we just waist some time like this, let me ask something." Turning to Uryu, he said, "What do you mean, 'bullshit'?"

"You're entire organization," said Uryu. "A convenient group of spiritually powered humans, hidden behind the back of secrecy and superstition, only to take special interest in us in these last few days. I doubt it is all coincidence."

Sighing heavily, Dario said, "Look, I know you're kind of overblown by everything, but just listen. Sanders gave Rita and I specific orders. We were told to scope out the area for any anomalies that may have caused Karakura to disappear for several hours. When it was revealed that you guys were also spiritually endowed, we assumed that by co-operating with you, we could gain your trust. Even after showing you our base, you still believe something is up."

"Well, you guys are a top secret organization, right? We're practically civilians. Why give us all this Intel unless you're trying to recruit us."

"If we were trying to recruit you, it would be as allies, not agents," Dario stated firmly. "We've understood you guys are basically the protectors of this town. Since you live here, we thought you could give us the info to understand what the hell is going on. We may have been wrong." Dario walked past Uryu and started to leave. He turned back to the group and said, "Don't worry. She'll be awake in another hour or so. I leave her fate up to you." Dario then left the Kurosaki Clinic, his head hung low with disappointment.

"Uryu," said Chad, "You didn't have to be so hard on him."

"Considering how he's been so calm whenever he's around us, I still don't trust him."

"Don't worry, Uryu. Things should be fine tomorrow."

"Right, with those two finished with their mission, everything will return to normal, right?" Everyone in the room sort of mumbled, unsure if they can continue their life as if everything was normal.

"Well, at least things can't get any worse," said a cheerful Orihime.

-----Thanatos Initiative HQ-----

"Well, the mission is successful. Unfortunately, its may seem like we're heading into uncharted territories now."

"I'm confused with that statement, sir."

"The Karakura Krew, our unique nickname for them, is still un trustworthy of us, even when we revealed that their friend is also spiritually powered."

"At this rate, she may not get control of her abilities for several months."

"That means we'll need to speed up the process."

"Any suggestions?"


	11. Old Problems, New Solutions?

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: I'm intending to end the First Saga by the 13th Chapter. Also, be expecting something interesting when Chapter 12 is released.

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-----The Next Day, Karakura High School-----

Day after discovery of Tatsuki's powers, things were back to normal. This was odd, since Tatsuki never recalled of her powers being activated. On top of that, Dario and Rita both disappeared before school started again, with the teachers saying they returned to their separate countries. However, Ichigo and his friends are trying to understand how this all could happen. They gathered once more, this time in front of the school.

"So wait, she doesn't remember anything?" asked Ichigo.

Orihime shook her head, saying, "Nope. Even this morning before school, when I told her about the accident, she doesn't even recall it."

Uryu explained, "Possibly the trauma of summoning those powers caused her mind to relapse, causing long-term amnesia to that event."

Chad, unconvinced, stated, "That can't be right. When my powers activated, I was knocked out, but I remembered how it happened." Orihime nodded in agreement.

"Still, this could be a cover, " said Rukia. "If we're right, Tatsuki can easily take care of herself."

Ichigo admitted, "Not really. Well, against a regular guy, maybe, but not Hollows or Arrancar."

"If she remembers how to activate her powers," stated Uryu.

"If she does, then what?" asked a concerned Chad. Everyone started to ponder that question, feeling unsure to include Tatsuki in their 'extracurricular' activities. Soon, the bell rang,

"We'll discuss this later," said Uryu, "Class is starting again."

-----Sereitei, Underground Training Area-----

After several more hours of non-stop training, Shuhei seemed a bit more convinced with his abilities, capable of fighting on par with his Zanpakuto spirit. Despite the spirit's enchanced speed and dangerous weapon, Shuhei began learning how to counteract it as the fight continued to press on. His endurance improved as well, as he was barely tired since he restarted his training. Yoruichi watches from afar, smiling a bit to herself. "_His progress is impressive,"_ she thinks, "_If he keeps it up, he should complete it by the end of the day."_

"Miss Shihoin," said a quite Fuki, who was donned in her standard Shinigami uniform. Her Zanpakuto was clearly visible, strapped to her waist by a larger, silver ribbon. It is an average katana, with a curved hilt and white sheath. Her hair was tied in a long ponytail, draped down the back of her spine to her waist.

"Come on, Fuji," said an embarrassed Yoruichi, "You don't have to be over formal with me. I don't mind if you keep it simple."

A slightly surprised Fuji replied, "Oh, okay Yoruichi."

"See, it's not that hard."

"Anyway, how it Shuhei?" said a concerned Fuji.

"He's fine. What's the matter: do you like him?" Yoruichi tried get Fuji to blush on her.

"Nice try," said Fuji, "I know a trick when I see one. But still, will he be alright?"

"Yeah. He keeps this up, he'll complete the trial before the day's over." When Fuji sighed with relief and left, Yoruichi thought, "_You really picked out a crafty one, Shunsui."_

-----Karkura High School, End of Gym class-----

As usually, this day was full of very few surprises. A few hollows came out and were easily defeated, but otherwise, the day was average (compared to the other times involving traveling to different worlds and fighting monsters). As Gym Class was ending, Rukia confronted Ichigo by herself, wanting to talk with him. "So, why the alone time?" asked Ichigo.

Rukia stated, "Well, I was able to get into a conversation with Rita."

"Well," said the relaxed Ichigo, "What'd you find?"

"Not much, though their powers are different with each person, which is unfortunate since we've already knew."

"Yea, that helps a lot," said Ichigo in a mocking tone.

"Its hard to ask information from someone who could beat you within an inch to your life."

"So she's really strong and tough. Why not use Sode no Shirayuki and be done with it?"

"Cause," said Rukia, "whenever I'm around her, I feel weaker…"

Confused, Ichigo said, "What do you mean 'weaker'?"

"Its like she's draining the power out of my just by standing near me. I'm not sure if its an ability of hears, but it could be dangerous." Ichigo nodded and tried to wrap his mind around that kind of logic.

"ICHIGO!" shouted an approaching Uryu.

"Uryu, what's the problem?" asked Ichigo.

"Its Tatsuki and Orihime. They're both gone!" Both Ichigo and Rukia were shocked at the news.

"What? Gone where?" asked Ichigo.

"I'm not sure," answered Uryu. "I've already told Chad and he's already left."

"Then lets hurry. This could be another Aizen plot," said Rukia.

Sighing, Ichigo said, "Great, we're going to be late for class again."

-----Thanatos Intiative HQ, 1st Floor Above-----

Dario, having returned to the Thanatos HQ, was wandering the halls of the Spiritual Agents Floor, carrying his cup of coffee and locked in a deep train of thought. He's still upset of leaving his cousin so abruptly. He was hoping to sped more time with him before the mission was finished. Still…

"Dario!" shouted Rita, approaching from behind Dario. Turning around, Dario sighed a bit, either still trying to get over his sorrow or just tired. "Jeez, you're still up and about. Usually, you'd be relaxing by now."

"Its just…" said a frustrated Dario, "this job is starting to get to me. After so many years, I have the chance to fulfill my promise and I've been called away just because out mission is done."

"Trust me, its not like that-"

"It feels like it," stated Dario, "Remember, I was the one who offered to tell them everything, especial to _me familie_. The hi-tech bums in main control are just scared that we've done to much, but its not. If we are able to unite with them, we could do so much for our world. Can't you imagine it?"

"Wow," said a surprised Rita, "You are really in a mood. But this is beside the point. We weren't called away cause our mission was over; its cause they're planning to jumpstart, that Tatsuki girl's training."

"Wait," Dario paused for several moments, almost locked in a trance. Soon, he broke out of it, placing his open hand against his head in disgrace. "This is not good."

"Don't worry," said Rita. "Missah said he'd be watching personally."

"Yeah, but Missah still has the idea of training that involves…torture."

-----Abandoned Warehouse, Karakura Town-----

As it turned out, Tatsuki and Orihime were lured away from school with a challenge: specifically for Tatsuki. When Gym Class ended, a note appeared on Tatsuki's book bags, saying:

"Come and Face me, Tatuski

The Abandoned Warehouse shall mark you Defeat!"

It wasn't signed and only typed, leaving whoever wrote it a complete mystery. Wanting someone to run for help, Tatsuki brought the scared Orihime with her, who feared Tatsuki might be getting over her head.

When they entered the warehouse, Tatsuki stood in front, with Orihime cowering from behind. "Why are you so scared? This shouldn't be too much of a hassle."

Orihime replied, "But what if it is?" True, Orihime is braver than she once was, she wanted to try and keep her friend out of that loop. "_Maybe if she gets her powers back…_" thought Orihime.

Tatsuki then stopped when they both stood in the middle of the room. "Hear that?" Orihime just shook her head, as both of them darted their eyes across the emptier warehouse. Hearing noise from above, both Tatuski and Orihime looked up above and saw-

"KKKKKKKKKKKKKYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


	12. Blast Off: Tatsuki Heats Up!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: One chapter left then the Thanatos Saga will come to an end. Also, check out this topic in my newly created forum.

.net/forum/When_Worlds_Collide_Bleach/65503/

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-----Karakura Town, Abandoned Warehouse-----

"KKKKKKKKKKKKKYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The large figure coming down from above force Orihime and Tatsuki to separate, being spilt off from each other as the figure came down. When the figure landed, a large cloud of dust was created, surrounding it in a brown haze.

Tatsuki shouted out, "ORIHIME!"

Orihime, barely managed to move out of the way, was on the ground. She slowly got up, turning her head enough to see the haze starting to dissipate. It soon revealed a truly dangerous being. Standing over 7ft tall, the man looked like a brawler than an athlete. Broad shoulders, pale, proportioned chest, thick legs: the guy could get a job as a professional bouncer. He was completely bald, save for his blond eyebrows and short, green chin beard. He wore a black leather vest over his bare chest, revealing chain tattoos around his left and right bicep. His dark brown pants had a metal chain hanging on its right side. He sported black boots with steel heels and toes. He simply stared down on Orihime, looking right at her with his brown eyes. He grinned, speaking in a deep menacing voice, "Hello, cute-y." He reached down at her, trying to get a little 'personal' with her.

"Get away from her!" shouted Tatsuki, prompting her to kick him in the balls. Even if her was a giant, he was still a man. Running between the man's legs before he knelt to the ground in pain, Tatsuki ran over to Orihime, asking, "Are you alright?"

"Yea," said the frightened Orihime. She stood up to the likes of the 4th Espada, but this guy hits closer to home than anything else. She lit up in a surprised face, prompting Tatsuki to turn around to see the man starting to recover.

"That…hurt," said the man as he groaned a bit more. Standing back at his full height, the man balled up his right fist, saying, "Don't stand in my way!" He then threw his punch in Tatsuki and Orihime's direction. Orihime then stood in front, summoning Santen Kesshun. The barrier easily stopped the man's attack, surprising him and Tatsuki.

"Whoa," said Tatsuki, "When did you learn that?"

Orihime snapped back into reality, turning to Tatsuki and saying, "Oh…uh…whoops. I guess you weren't supposed to know this." He giggled a bit as Santen Kesshun started to dissipate. She turned back around too hastily, however. An incoming boot slammed into her chest with great force. She felt like getting hit by a steel pole, losing all the air in her lungs. She sailed back several feet before landing on the ground, barely conscious and gasping for air.

"ORIHIME!" shouted Tatuski, who ran over to her again. She knelt down, turning Orihime towards her. As Orihime continued to gasp for air, the scared Tatsuki said, "Please, breathe slowly, Orihime. Slowly."

The man casually scratched the inside of his ear, saying, "Jeez, that was a bit too much. I meant it to be a 'love tap'." He started to chuckle to himself, then just full-blown laughter, finding his actions humorous.

"This is funny?!?" The man stopped abruptly, turning back towards Tatsuki. As she stood back up and turned around, you could see the anger in her eyes. "I'll give you something to cry about, then!" The man only followed up with a smile.

-----Karakura Town, Shopping District-----

Ichigo, in his full-blown Shinigami attire, was jumping from rooftop to rooftop, trying to find where his lost friends, Orihime and Tatsuki, were. Even if it meant missing class, Ichigo would not waste time for a second. "_Dammit, where could they be?"_ Suddenly, his cellphone started to ring, prompting him to answer it. "Hey, did you find them yet?"

"No," answered Rukia over the phone. "I didn't sense them anywhere in the park. I'll check by the warehouse."

"Fine," replied Ichigo, "I'll meet over there then." Returning to his search, Ichigo continued to think, _"Where the hell are they?"_

-----Karakura Town, Abandoned Warehouse-----

"HIYA!" shouted Tatsuki, trying to land a karate kick at the man's leg. The leg made contact, but it barely did anything, Tatsuki recoiled, however, at the pain she accidentally inflicted on herself. Taking her leg back, she thought, "_What the…it felt like I was hitting a metal pole."_

The man grinned, saying, "A bit slow, are we?" He raised his right hand above himself and tried to plant it into Tatsuki's head. Thankfully, she rolled to her left, dodging the fist as it crashed through the ground.

Turning her head back, she thought, "_He broke through solid rock!" _As the man pulled his hand out, Tatsuki jumped onto his back and hung onto his jacket. Pulling herself up, she then wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to choke him out.

The man then swung back and forth, trying to get rid of the grip around his neck. "Just…Let…GO!" Putting the emphasis on "GO!" the man fell backwards, landing straight on top of Tatsuki. He was even able to create a small crack around his outline. Pushing himself back up, he turned around to see the bruised Tatsuki still conscious. Scratching his head, the man said, "Damn, you sure are stubborn."

The barely conscious Tatsuki grunted a bit, thinking, "_How heavy is this guy?" _She tried to get up, but her body felt exhausted. She hasn't felt this hopeless since Yammy arrived in Karakura Town and used Gonzui to absorb those souls. "_Dammit, why can't I protect myself?"_

-----Flashback: Several Years ago-----

A young, orange-haired girl was getting surrounded by a group of boys, looking to bully her. In moments, a black-haired girl came to her side, beating the boys back before they could do any harm. She then promised to protect the girl from any harm.

_That was the day I first met Orihime. Wait…what is this?_

A young orange-haired boy appeared, wearing a black kimono and carrying a huge sword.

_Ichigo…_

A white-clothed boy carrying a bow and a red-black armed boy appeared as well.

Uryu…Chad…

Then another black-haired girl, dressed in similar apparel to the orange-haired boy appeared.

Rukia…

They, along with an older orange-haired girl, confronted various monsters with white faces.

What is going on?

Soon, the black-haired girl, older than she was those years ago, began to think…

All this time…the missing days…Orihime's disapearance…they were trying to protect everyone…so, why can't I…

The girl then clenched her fist.

No, I have too! If anyone else needs to fight as well, it should be me!

Soon, a large flame came out of the darkness, engulfing everything in sight…

-----Karakura Tow, Abandoned Warehouse-----

The man tapped one of his feet, getting slightly impatient. "This is taking forever." Lifting up his right foot, he said, "Time to end this." He then prompted to slam it into Tatsuki. However, she regained conscious, catching the large foot with only her right hand. "Wha-" She then pushed it back as she went up with ease, causing the man to lose his balance a bit.

She then stood up, proudly, standing her ground. A strange, red aura surrounded her being. "Its Round 2 now." Jumping forward with great speed, she punched the man in his gut. She didn't feel anything, but the man wrenched forward, coughing up some blood from the hit. She then landed an uppercut at the man's chin, forcing his head back up. As he slowly moved his head back down, Tatsuki landed back onto the ground, jumped back up, then dealt a roundhouse kick to the head once more. The man's head veered right, but he did not lose ground. When she was on the ground once more, she swept both of his feet, causing him to fall on his back. Tatsuki, with determination back on her face, jumped high into the air. When the man landed on the ground, Tatsuki raised her right leg, with it starting to catch on fire. As she fell, she slammed the leg into the man's body, cracking the ground beneath him with great authority. The man screamed in pain, like the sound of a large bear, before losing conscious. Orihime, who was regaining conscious, was staring at her friend's victory. Tatsuki's aura then faded into nothing, which didn't seem to bother her at all. She simply turned to the awakened Orihime with great pleasure. "You're alright!"

Orihime just smiled and nodded, saying, "Yep, that wasn't so bad." She put on a brave face, unsure if Tatsuki was still angry or not

Soon, Rukia arrived in the warehouse doorway, stunned to see Tatsuki overcome such a dangerous man. Ichigo arrived seconds later, slightly shocked and surprised at this discovery.

He decided to call out, "Tatsuki! Orihime!" This prompted Tatsuki and Orhime to move their heads towards Ichigo's voice. "What the hell happened here?"

Tatsuki just smiled, saying, "What do you think? I won."


	13. Final Say: Captains Come Forth!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters or any of the characters that are going to appear unless stated otherwise.

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Author's Note: Last Chapter for the Thanatos Saga, ending with the reveal of the third and final captain. Also, if you haven't yet checked, here's a special competition to see in my new forum:

.net/topic/65503/18453778/1/

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-----Karakura Town, Abandoned Warehouse-----

Ichigo and Rukia were quickly told what was going on, how Tatsuki was challenged into a fight, how Orihime was injured, and how Tatsuki's powers activated on her own. Right now, they were discussing an important matter near the unconscious body of the large man. "Great, so now you can actually help us, how can we train you?" asked Rukia.

"Wait," said Orihime, "Why not ask Kitsuke Urahara?"

"Who?" said the puzzled Tatsuki.

"Mr. Hat-and-Clogs. He still has that barrier around his shop, and we still can't figure out how to break through it," stated Ichigo.

"So what? We just wait?" asked Rukia.

"No," said Tatsuki. "We can start training tomorrow. Right after school." Ichigo, Rukia and Orihime were somewhat cautious, still unsure about letting Tatsuki join with them. Peeved, Tatsuki firmly stated, "Come on, you see what I did to that creep. I can take care of myself just fine!" Suddenly, the man rose up from unconsciousness, standing high in the sky, with a twitching eye and an angry face.

"Creep?!?" said the man. "You just called me a creep?" Tightening his right fist, the man raised his arm up in a rage, saying, "Nobody calls me a creep. NOBODY!" As he started to slam his fist down, a shadowy figure ran past Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime, and Tatsuki at unseen speed. The figure stopped, placing his hand against the man's chest.

"Shahokah." The man's hand lit up with a crack of thunder, with a current of electricity running across the large man's body. Everyone else just stood in total awe, trying to comprehend what he or she is seeing. Soon, the current stopped, with the large man falling on his back once more, unable to move.

"Wait a minute," said Rukia. The figure turned his head, revealing himself to the Karakura Krew. "Missah!"

"Dah," said Missah. He turned back to the large man, stepping around the body to reach the crown of his head. Looking down with disappointment, he said, "Vladimir. You're temper will cost you in a fight."

"WHAT?" said Ichigo, Orihime, and Rukia at the same time. Tatsuki was the only one who was confused at this event.

"This guy is part of the Thanatos Initiative?", asked Ichigo.

"He's ranked 12th among the Spiritual Agents?", asked Rukia.

"What's the 'Thanatos Initiative'?" asked Tatsuki to Orihime.

"It's a long story," said the nervous Orihime.

"Here is the abridged version," said Missah. "Our organization is designed to protect the human world from forces beyond its gaze. The Spiritual Agents are the ones possessing powers greater than an average human. We also investigate strange phenomena in various parts of the world. What led us here was Karakura Town's disappearance."

"Don't ask me," said Tatsuki, "I barely understand how my powers work, let alone how an entire city can disappear off the freakin' world."

In his calm demeanor, Missah said, "It is alright. As of now, we are still getting to the bottom of it. Thankfully, both missions are considered a success."

Realizing something, Ichigo said, "Wait, this was a mission?"

Missah calmly nodded, saying, "When Agent Dairo told us of Tatsuki's empowerment, we decided to speed up the process of learning to control her abilities. When the person is experiencing a rush of adrenaline and intense emotions, the powers manifest themselves. Only by pure willpower can the user use them on their own."

Tatsuki, wrapping her head around that idea, said, "So, when I was knocked out…"

"…you're mind refused to give in. You're willpower chose to fight on, even when you're body was incapable of."

"So," said Orihime, "What now?"

"Now, you may leave," said Missah. He picked up the still-paralyzed Vlad over his shoulders.

"Wait," said Tatsuki. "What about me?"

"You are in capable hands," said Missah, before he disappeared with Vlad in tow

-----Sereitei, 1st Division HQ-----

The time has finally come: the initiation of the newest Captains. Captain Commander Yamamoto, along with his lieutenant Chojiro, sat at the far end of the room. On both sides were the captains and lieutenants of the different squads, line up in a specific order. Kira and Momo were the only exception, standing to Yamamoto's left and right respectively instead.

On Yamamoto's left side was: 2nd Division Captain Soifon and Lieutenant Marechiyo, 6th Division Captain Byakuya and Lieutenant Renji, 10th Division Captain Toshiro and Lieutenant Rangiku, and 12th Division Captain Mayuri and Lieutenant Nemu.

On Yamamoto's right side was: 7th Division Captain Sajin and Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon , 4th Division Captain Retsu and Lieutenant Isane, 8th Division Captain Shunsui and Lieutenant Nanao, and 11th Division Captain Kenpachi and Lieutenant Yachiru.

13th Division Captain Jushiro was excused due to his illness.

"We may finally begin," commanded Yamamoto. The great doors of the room opened, revealing the first captain to the rest of the Gotei 13:

Shuhei Hisagi, the former Lieutenant of the 9th Division, has been promoted in his former captain's stead. He customized his uniform differently, with his haori sleeves completely gone, bearing a look similar to the Vizard Kensei before his exile from Soul Society. He still carried his Zanpakuto by his waist as always, constantly maintaining his calm composure.

Renji 's thoughts, "_Guess it was a matter of time. Still would've been better if I was picked._"

Soi Fon's: "_Let's see if he can finally tap into that killer intent he's been hiding."_

Kira's: "_Funny, I thought it was I who was going to surpass him._"

Shuhei knelt before the Captain Commander himself, with Yamamoto saying, "By the authority vested as the Captain Commander, Shuhei Hisagi, you are now officially the 9th Division Captain."

Shuhei calmly rose, replying with, "Thank you, Commander." He then stood to Momo's other side.

"Bring in the next Captain." Not surprisingly, Fuji Kitsune entered next. Her Captain's attire wasn't too different form her original, with her haori fitting easily over the rest of her clothing. As she walked towards Yamamoto, she still sported that friendly smile of her as she went.

Rangiku's thoughts: "_She looks like Gin but…no, I don't think-"_

Nanao's: "_I'm guessing Captain Kyoraku picked her out."_

Tetsuzaemon's: "_Wonder if I can trade with someone…"_

Like Shuhei, Fuji knelt before Yamamoto, who stated, "By the authority vested in me, Fuji Kitsune, you are now officially the 3rd Division Captain." Upon hearing that, Kira turned bright red, now having to deal with a beautiful girl as his superior.

"Thank you, Commander Yamamoto," said the pleased Fuji. She stood next to Kira, who still looked red in the face.

"Let the final captain enter." Finally, the mysterious Hisoka Myouma is final introduced, by his appearance is quite…under whelming. His brown hair was short and messy. His blue eyes were covered in foggy, black-rimmed glasses. He slouched a bit, wearing his captain haori over his shoulders like Yamamoto. His Zanpakuto is worn around his waist as well. Its handle was yellow, with a jagged cross guard. His pale body made him looks melancholy, barely showing and form of emotion.

Mayuri's thoughts: "_He is supposed to be the Prodigy? Quite an understatement."_

Byakuya's: "_Looks can be deceiving."_

Unohana's: "_…_"

Momo looked disappointed, like she was given a poor man's Aizen for a captain. Hisoka knelt down in front of Commander Yamamoto, like Fuji and Shuhei before him. "By my authority, you are officially the 5th Division Captain."

Hisoka looked up and, in a tired manner, said, "Of course, Commander."

-----Karakura Town, Kurosaki Residence-----

It was nighttime, with Ichigo already finished dinner, and was recently met with Rukia on the important news. "So, they finally got new captains…Took them long enough."

"Ichigo," said Rukia, "Its difficult to find a worthy captain at times like this. We took a gamble when it came to picking them."

"Its fine. I just hope they don't lose anymore before the Winter War," stated Ichigo. He lay out across his bed, trying to relax.

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem," explained Rukia, "Shuhei is an honorable man, if slightly 'hero worshipper'. I know a bit about Fuji, so she checks out. Hisoka is actually straight out of the Shinigami Academy, so its hard to get a read on him."

"At least the worst won't be happening until the next few months, right?"

-----Thanatos Initiative HQ-----

"Gentlemen, ladies: I have an important announcement to make."

"Why not tell us tomorrow? Better yet, why not-"

"Because it is urgent. Over the last few days, Alexander Henderson and the rest of the scientists have uncovered something big."  
"Sounds important."

"More than we could know. It seems we've come across a haven of spirits. As of now, we can only look through the window. In the coming weeks, we should be able to open the door into it."

"Wait, how the hell did this happen?"

"That one girl, Rukia Kuchiki…"

"What about her?"

"Her name, Kuchiki, is the name of a noble Japanese family who were supposedly wiped out centuries ago."

"So we poked through her mind while she and her friends came to our base."

"I was able to get a spirit scan on her without her knowing it. It let to some interesting things."

"Like?"

"She's not human…I mean not a normal human. While she's flesh and bone on the outside, her inside is basically spirit particles."

"Where did she come from?"

"Our newest destination: The Soul Society"

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Tune in for the next saga:

When Worlds Collide: Soul Strike Saga!

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